North Carolina Republicans quickly seized advantage of their new supermajority in the General Assembly to veto.
The day after Rep. Tricia Cobb announced that she would be leaving the Democratic Party to join the Republican Party, lawmakers introduced new bills regarding transgender issues.
These bills will protect minors from gender-affirming surgeries and other medical interventions. They also restrict high school athletes from participating in sports that are compatible with their biological sex and protect the medical sector.
- Senate Bill 631: The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act prohibits transgender high school athletes from playing on sports teams corresponding to their gender integrity. For determining which team a student plays on, “a student’s sex shall be recognized based solely on the student’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”
- Senate Bill 639: The Youth Protection Act will “protect minors from the administration of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and other related actions, procedures, and treatments,” including gender-related surgeries.
- Senate Bill 641: The Medical Ethics Defense Act protects medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payers from having “to participate in or pay for any health care service which violates his, her, or its conscience.”
On Tuesday, the day before Cotham switched parties, Republicans also filed Senate Bill 560, known as the Medical Treatment for Minors Act. The bill prohibits doctors from providing “gender transition procedures to any individual under 18 years of age” unless strict criteria are met.
The day before Cotham changed parties, Republicans filed Senate Bill 560. Also known as the Medical Treatment for Minors Act, it was filed Tuesday. The bill bans doctors from offering “gender transition procedures” to anyone under 18 years old unless certain criteria are met.
It is unknown if Cotham will support these bills. WRAL-TV was informed by her that she had not reviewed the bills. They will be law even if Gov. Roy Cooper (D), will veto them, provided that every other Republican supports them.
Abortion is another issue that could swing conservatives’ favor now with Cotham in the GOP.
North Carolina currently allows women to have abortions for up to 20 weeks and six days. With Cotham’s vote, however, this window could be closed in light of Roe V. Wade being overturned. The Tar Heel State Republicans are seeking to ban abortion after 13 weeks.
Cotham was asked this week if she would support such legislation. She said that she would not comment on the matter until a bill has been filed.
