Utah lawmaker urges ban on gender‑affirming care for minors, proposes referendum power for school boards

Representative Shipp, who identified himself as the legislator for House District 71, told a Utah Eagle Forum panel he will push two bills this session aimed at family‑policy and local accountability.

"One of the bills I'm working on... it's about protecting our minors from transgender procedures," Shipp said, describing his plan to move the current moratorium toward a full ban while creating a process to taper minors already receiving treatments.

Shipp said he was motivated in part by a state review required under SB 16. He said the Department of Health and Human Services delegated the report to a University of Utah review center and that outside reviewers criticized the final product; he described the report as "not a properly done review." He also told the audience he believes recent judicial rulings in other states reduce the risk of Utah courts enjoining similar legislation.

On education policy, Shipp said his second bill would allow referendums on school‑board decisions that lack a supermajority. "If you have a split vote, you have less than a super majority... For example... a 7 member board [with a] 4–3 vote... they can get the signatures to do a referendum," he said, arguing the change would mirror referendum access available for other local legislative bodies.

Shipp described the bills as responses to constituent concerns and invited attendees to contact his office; he said his contact information is available on the legislative website.

The bills Shipp described are in draft and he invited follow‑up questions rather than seeking a formal vote at the event.