OKLAHOMA CITY — The Republican-controlled Oklahoma House of Representatives endorsed a measure last Tuesday that would prohibit gender transition medical services for minors and prohibit public and private insurance companies from underwriting the cost associated with those services.
Written by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, and Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, House Bill 2177 prohibits health care professionals from providing, attempting to provide or providing a referral for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and gender reassignment surgeries for minors.
West said the bill was a way to protect children “from those who would seek to profit from their gender confusion.”
In a media statement about the measure, West said, “As a state, we must not be partner to irreversible health practices that permanently change the bodies of our children before they are of an age where they can fully understand the consequences of their decisions.”
The bill also prohibits insurance coverage for gender transition services performed within the state on any minor or adult.
Democrats countered that the bill was an attack on Oklahoma families.
“This is big government. This is an attack on freedom,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater. “The authors of HB 2177 have expanded the bill to force insurance companies to deny gender-affirming health care for all Oklahomans, regardless of age.”
“Good health care is the freedom to choose. The state Legislature should not determine who can get what procedure,” said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City.
The bill cleared the House on an 80-18 vote.
The measure, which quickly became controversial, drew protestors both inside and outside the Capitol building.
Just after the vote concluded, one protester, angry over the bill’s passage, threw water on state Rep. Bob Ed Culver and later scuffled with an unidentified Oklahoma Highway patrolman. Video from an Oklahoma City television station shows the protester tossing what looks to be about a cup full of water on Culver, a Republican from Tahlequah.
After the protester was ordered to leave by the OHP, the video shows him scuffling with the OHP officer. The protester was arrested and taken from the Capitol in an OHP vehicle.
Culver told KFOR television that he would press charges.
“If water being thrown on me had been the extent of the action taken, I would not have given it a second thought; however, I cannot stand by while our highway patrolmen are assaulted for simply doing their jobs,” Culver said to the TV station. “Taking all of that into consideration, I have decided to press charges against the individual who assaulted me and the patrolman and will cooperate fully with the law enforcement investigation.”
House Bill 2117 now goes to the state Senate for consideration.