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South Carolina House Committee Advances Youth Transgender Bill

Hot button issue moving quickly through legislature …

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Members of the S.C. House of Representatives’ medical, military, and municipal affairs (3M) committee have advanced H.4624, a bill prohibiting physicians from providing gender transition procedures to minors, and preventing school officials from withholding a student’s chosen gender identity from their parents.

Those familiar with the legislative process know scheduling is everything. Much can be inferred by leadership’s decision to put this bill before the 3M subcommittee on the first day the General Assembly returned to Columbia.

Planned Parenthood south Atlantic director Vicki Ringer hit the nail on the head in her testimony at the subcommittee level.

“The makeup of the board indicates that nothing I say will matter,” Ringer said. “The fact that we have a full committee meeting tomorrow suggests the same.”

(Click to view)

The S.C. House medical, military and municipal affairs (3M) committee meets at the State House in Columbia, S.C. on January 9, 2024. (Dylan Nolan/FITSNews)

Ringer’s prediction proved prescient when, after 48 speakers and more than two hours of testimony (mostly opposing the legislation) – members voted to advance the bill with amendments to the full committee.

The bill was amended by state representative Heath Sessions to clarify that mental health care providers are not regulated by the bill.

State representative Jordan Pace spoke the next day prior to the full committee’s vote telling the committee “I ran on protecting these kids from self harm.”

Pace referenced the numerous harrowing stories told in subcommittee on Monday.

“The association between anxiety, suicidal ideations all of that goes along with this – to encourage that is harming them,” Pace said. “You would not tell someone with anorexia … that they are overweight if they’re 5-foot-5 and weigh 100 pounds, we would not encourage them to get (lap band surgery) so that they would feel better about themselves. You would help them understand that the reality does not match what they perceive, particularly if they’re a minor, particularly if they’re a child.”

The 3M committee accepted the subcommittee’s amendments and advanced the bill.

While the house has certainly dealt a blow to the those supporting the gender transition of minors, it seems as though the S.C. Senate is less eager to advance the issue. The senate’s transgender legislation, S.243, was notably not scheduled for discussion during its first medical affairs’ subcommittee meeting.

If last year’s abortion debate is any indication, it may be substantially more difficult to advance socially divisive legislation through the Senate. For now, H.4624 is up for debate by the full House – and if our interpretation of leadership’s intentions are correct, readers should expect the full body to take up the issue quickly.

Stay tuned for FITSNews’ further coverage of this issue as it advances through the legislative process.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

(Via: Travis Bell)

Dylan Nolan is the director of special projects at FITSNews. He graduated from the Darla Moore school of business in 2021 with an accounting degree. Got a tip or story idea for Dylan? Email him here. You can also engage him socially @DNolan2000.

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13 comments

RC January 10, 2024 at 1:17 pm

“The association between anxiety, suicidal ideations all of that goes along with this – to encourage that is harming them,” Pace said.

Why does a real estate professional think he knows better than doctors and medical associations what the appropriate care is?

Reply
Todd January 10, 2024 at 8:07 pm

Because doctors want to chop off healthy body parts.

Because doctors gave Gypsy Rose numerous leg surgeries and a feeding tube.

Because doctors said the COVID vaccine was 100% safe and effective.

Reply
A Name January 10, 2024 at 8:14 pm

Do you drink colloidal silver?

I hear it’s better than going to the doctor. You’d love it;-)

Reply
CongareeCatfish Top fan January 11, 2024 at 9:43 am

Because doctors said ivermectin was “horse dewormer” when they knew damn well it had a human variant that had been in use for 40+ years.

Because doctors said the COVID vax would prevent transmission, when they had no studies whatsoever that said if it did.

Because doctors are people too with mortgages, student loan debt, and other financial concerns and can be intimidated by the massive federal government to endorse things they actually have strong reservations about.

Reply
Terminator44 Top fan January 10, 2024 at 2:27 pm

Because he has been graced with the ability to think logically . . . !

Reply
Send Out The Clowns January 10, 2024 at 2:32 pm

People with clown hair expecting to be taken seriously by anyone. LMFAO!

Reply
Nanker Phelge January 10, 2024 at 4:27 pm

I know, how can anyone take Donald Trump seriously with that cotton candy dead beaver on his head! And the orange makeup, yikes! LMFAO!

Reply
RC January 10, 2024 at 3:41 pm

The speaker of the US House believes the earth is only thousands of years old. Should I take him seriously?

Reply
Nanker Phelge January 10, 2024 at 4:25 pm

Pesky little fact: no physician in SC is doing surgeries on minors, or prescribing hormone or puberty blocking drugs.

None.

Nada.

Zilch.

Bupkis.

Reply
Todd January 10, 2024 at 8:08 pm

MUSC has entered the chat.

Reply
Squishy123 (the original) January 10, 2024 at 5:50 pm

What the fuck was that in the top picture? Looks like a future candidate for the slit wrist gang.

Reply
Thanks for sharing? January 10, 2024 at 8:11 pm

Thanks for sharing your high school experiences, but what does that have to do with this blog post?

Reply
Putin’s Puppets January 10, 2024 at 8:17 pm

Is it any surprise the Republicans are passing the same anti-trans legislation as Putin’s government?

Is it any surprise that a useful idiot’s blog is amplifying the same message?

Nope

Reply

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