Pennsylvania HB 1033: An Act prohibiting gender transition procedures for minors and coverage for gender transition procedures for minors.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1117
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1033
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY ROAE, HAMM, BOROWICZ, JAMES, MENTZER, KAUFFMAN,
M. BROWN, FEE, ZIMMERMAN, GILLEN, BANTA, GREINER, BARGER,
FRITZ, SMITH, CUTLER AND FINK, MARCH 24, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MARCH 24, 2025
AN ACT
Prohibiting gender transition procedures for minors and coverage
for gender transition procedures for minors.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) The Commonwealth has a compelling government
interest in protecting the health and safety of vulnerable
minors.
(2) Gender transition procedures are permanent and often
irreversible treatments that carry serious known risks,
ranging from increased risks of various types of cancer to
infertility.
(3) The vast majority of minors who express distress in
identifying with their biological sex eventually come to
identify with their biological sex in adolescence or
adulthood.
(4) Studies have refuted the misconception that
providing gender transition procedures to vulnerable minors
reduces risk of suicide, psychiatric morbidities and
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mortality.
(5) The risks of performing gender transition procedures
on minors far outweigh any perceived benefits.
(6) The provisions of this act only apply to minors.
(7) An individual who has attained 18 years of age may
continue to obtain gender transition procedures.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Save
Adolescents from Experimentation Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Biological sex." The biological indication of male and
female in the context of reproductive potential or capacity,
including sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones,
gonads and nonambiguous internal and external genitalia present
at birth, without regard to an individual's psychological,
chosen or subjective experience of gender.
"Cross-sex hormones." Any of the following:
(1) Testosterone or other androgens given to a
biological female at doses that are profoundly larger or more
potent than would normally occur naturally in a healthy
biological female.
(2) Estrogen given to a biological male at doses that
are profoundly larger or more potent than would normally
occur naturally in a healthy biological male.
"Gender." The psychological, behavioral, social and cultural
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aspects of being male or female.
"Gender transition." The process in which an individual goes
from identifying with and living as a gender that corresponds to
the individual's biological sex to identifying with and living
as a gender different from the individual's biological sex which
may involve social, legal or physical changes.
"Gender transition procedure." All forms of treatments
related to gender transition, including genital gender
reassignment surgery, nongenital gender reassignment surgery,
cross-sex hormones and puberty-blocking drugs.
"Genital gender reassignment surgery." A genital medical
procedure performed for the purpose of assisting an individual
with a gender transition, including any of the following:
(1) A surgical procedure, including penectomy,
orchiectomy, vaginoplasty, clitoroplasty or vulvoplasty, for
biologically male patients and hysterectomy or ovariectomy
for biologically female patients.
(2) Reconstruction of the fixed part of the urethra with
or without a metoidioplasty.
(3) Phalloplasty, vaginectomy, scrotoplasty or
implantation of erection or testicular prostheses for
biologically female patients.
"Government program." A program of government-sponsored or
government-subsidized health care coverage, including any of the
following:
(1) The children's health insurance program under
Article XXIII-A of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284),
known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921.
(2) The medical assistance program under Subdivision (f)
of Article IV of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21),
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known as the Human Services Code.
"Health care practitioner." As defined in section 103 of the
act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care
Facilities Act.
"Health insurance policy." A policy, subscriber contract,
certificate or plan issued by an insurer that provides medical
or health care coverage. The term includes a dental only and a
vision only policy. The term does not include:
(1) An accident only policy.
(2) A credit only policy.
(3) A long-term care or disability income policy.
(4) A specified disease policy.
(5) A Medicare supplement policy.
(6) A TRICARE policy, including a Civilian Health and
Medi