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Committee adopts amendment on medically necessary sterilizing treatment; moves bill forward
Summary
The Judiciary Committee adopted amendment 18-83 s to clarify what constitutes appropriate reproductive care, list reasons a physician may not deny sterile procedures, and specify medical-board discipline; the bill was advanced as amended.
The Judiciary Committee adopted a committee amendment (18-83 s) to a bill described in committee as addressing appropriate reproductive care and the circumstances in which physicians may not deny medically necessary sterilizing procedures. The committee then voted to move the bill forward as amended.
Representative Reed, who presented the amendment, told the committee the changes refine the definitions and disciplinary mechanism in the introduced bill. The amendment clarifies that physicians may not deny medically necessary sterilizing treatment for reasons such as age, number of children, marital status or stated fertility goals. The amendment replaces broader language about a physician’s “perception” of reproductive desires with the clearer phrase “fertility goals.”
The amendment expands the phrase “medical condition” to include disease, disorder, syndrome, symptoms, genetic predisposition, family medical history or the state of being medicated when those factors make pregnancy inadvisable. Representative Reed cited examples discussed in prior hearings, including lupus and endometriosis, to explain why non-reproductive medical conditions should be covered.
The amendment also explicitly states that gender dysphoria shall not be considered a medical condition that affects the reproductive system or makes reproduction inadvisable; the amendment clarifies that if a person with gender dysphoria also has a listed medical condition (for example, endometriosis), that person remains eligible for medically necessary sterilizing care.
Finally, the amendment clarifies disciplinary authority and adds that the state medical board will review complaints alleging violations of the section and may impose disciplinary proceedings and fines consistent with the chapter’s existing discipline processes.
Committee members adopted amendment 18-83 s by voice vote and subsequently moved the underlying bill “ought to pass as amended.” A voice vote adopted the motion; no roll-call tally was provided in the transcript. Committee discussion included questions about how gender dysphoria would be determined and confirming the medical board’s role as the enforcement and appeals body.
Representative Reed’s presentation and the committee’s adoption of the amendment were recorded in committee minutes; members indicated the amendment aligns the bill with prior committee intent and clarifies provisions that generated concern in earlier hearings.
