Pierre, S.D., Jan 29, 2020 / 00:26 am
A bill aiming to ban sex-reassignment surgery and puberty-blocking medication for minors in South Dakota cleared a House committee Jan. 22, and is set to be debated in the House of Representatives.
HB 1057 would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor for doctors to dispense puberty-blocking drugs to those under the age of 16 for the purpose of changing or affirming the perception of their sex, and lists a number of surgical procedures including castration, vasectomy, and hysterectomy that doctors would not be allowed to perform on minors.
The bill was set to be debated in the House on Monday, but the House deferred the debate to another day.
The South Dakota Catholic Conference announced its support for the measure Jan. 16.