Washington D.C., Apr 6, 2021 / 13:15 pm
The Arkansas state legislature voted on Tuesday to override a veto by Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) of a bill prohibiting gender-transitioning procedures for children.
Last month, the state’s Senate had approved House Bill 1570, the “To Create The Arkansas Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act.” The bill prohibited a “physician or other healthcare professional” from providing “gender transition procedures to any individual under eighteen (18) years of age.”
In addition to banning the procedures for minors, the bill also blocked referrals and public funding for these procedures.
Hutchinson had been expected to sign the legislation, but he vetoed the bill on Monday, citing government overreach. On Tuesday, both the state House and Senate overwhelmingly voted to override his veto, with the House voting 71-25 and the Senate 25-8 in favor of the veto override.