FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 16, 2023
BREAKING: 20 States Have Passed Help Not Harm Laws
Over half of states introduced legislation to protect children from transgender procedures
Today, the North Carolina legislature overrode Governor Cooper’s veto of House Bill 808, marking the 20th state law that protects minors from dangerous and irreversible “transition” procedures. These “Help Not Harm” laws hold healthcare professionals accountable by providing child victims an opportunity to sue for damages.
Autumn Leva, Senior Vice President of Strategy at Family Policy Alliance, responded:
“Today, children in 20 states have the opportunity to grow up, their bodies free from the irreversible harm and heavy baggage of so-called ‘gender transition.’
“This is not a fringe issue: it’s an urgent matter of child safety, and lawmakers understand that. In fact, 60% of the states with Help Not Harm laws passed them with bipartisan support, and 20% of Help Not Harm states overrode their governors to pass these laws.
“The men and women who have courageously supported this legislation are heroes. We know that 50 years from now, our nation will look back and see transitioning children as one of the great medical scandals of our age. We are honored to be among those speaking out against injustice, and we greatly commend those who have risked their careers and even their personal safety to do the same.
“20 states is a great accomplishment, but we’re just getting started. Our vision is that one day, every child in America will be protected and transitioning children will be unthinkable.”
Family Policy Alliance, a national social conservative organization, first drafted an early form of the legislation in 2017 and has since worked with state and national partners around the country to introduce bills in more than half of state legislatures. Critical to the bills’ success are Family Policy Councils, pro-family state organizations whose alliance is hosted by Family Policy Alliance. And, several Help Not Harm laws were sponsored by alumni of Family Policy Foundation’s Statesmen Academy, a training program and network for pro-family Christian lawmakers.
Children who struggle to embrace their God-given sex are children who are deeply hurting. While these children should be greeted with loving help, they are instead met with irreversible procedures that leave them sterile, missing healthy organs, and often filled with deep regret.
Help Not Harm flips the script by putting child safety above political interests. It ensures that children are protected from irreversible damage until they reach the age of majority, and it offers restitution to those children who have already been irrevocably harmed.
The 20 states with Help Not Harm-like laws are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. In 2023, 23 states have introduced Help Not Harm-like bills.
Media Contact:
Robert Noland, (719) 308-2822, Media@FamilyPolicyAlliance.com
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Family Policy Alliance advances biblical citizenship and promotes public policy that protects religious freedom, families, and life.