Tennessee introduces 'Protecting Children from Gender Mutilation Act' targeting trans treatments

The GOP-led state legislature has introduced a measure to try to stop healthcare providers from performing medical procedures on minors to change their sexual identity. 

The Protecting Children from Gender Mutilation Act introduced Wednesday would also allow patients and their families to sue the healthcare provider for damages.

Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson and House Majority Leader William Lamberth, Republicans, one day after winning reelection introduced the bill, which includes hormonal and surgical transitions. 

"The legislature finds that minors lack the maturity to fully understand and appreciate the life-altering consequences of such procedures and that many individuals have expressed regret for medical procedures that were performed on or administered to them for such purposes when they were minors," states the bill, published by local outlet WKRN.

The legislation also says that "many of the same pharmaceutical companies that contributed to the opioid epidemic" are now profiting off of children's medical sex transitions. 

Cases may be brought within 30 years from the date the child turns 18 or within 10 years of the minor's death if they die. In addition to allowing the families or the minors to sue, the bill also would allow state prosecutors to seek a civil penalty of $25,000 per violation.