HARRISBURG — Sens. Chris Gebhard (R-48) and Cris Dush (R-25) today announced legislation to end state funding for the gender transition of minors was passed with bipartisan support by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.
The measure follows recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stating gender-related medical interventions for minors do not meet professionally recognized standards of care. The department issued regulations to prevent federal reimbursement for these procedures through programs such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
“These procedures carry life-altering risks and lack reliable evidence demonstrating long-term benefits for children,” said Gebhard, who chairs the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. “It is vital we protect minors from irreversible harm they cannot fully understand or consent to. This legislation ensures Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars are not used to fund these procedures.”
Senate Bill 1321 would align state and federal policies regarding reimbursements for “gender-affirming” care for minors, requiring the state to withhold Medicaid and CHIP funding for any procedure that conflicts with federal standards.
“It is NOT lifesaving care, but child abuse in every sense of the word to attempt to physically mutilate and irreversibly change a child’s gender,” said Dush, who chairs the Senate State Government Committee. “Backed by the full blessing of Gov. Josh Shapiro through yet another federal lawsuit, commonwealth taxpayers are reprehensively being forced to spend millions on sex-rejecting puberty blockers and sex-reassignment procedures for minors that have lifelong physical and psychological impacts. By enacting Senate Bill 1321, Pennsylvania can join the no less than 25 states that have already passed laws protecting minors by eliminating funding for these harmful and unconscionable experimental procedures.”
Between 2017 and 2021, the rate of gender dysphoria diagnoses in the U.S. nearly tripled with over 5,000 minors given sex-rejecting interventions in Pennsylvania. Reports also indicate tens of millions of taxpayer dollars were used nationwide to fund related procedures in recent years. The U.K. banned the use of puberty blockers and sex-reassignment surgeries for minors in 2024.
The measure now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
Watch the committee meeting here. Watch Gebhard’s comments on the bill here.
SEN. GEBHARD CONTACT: Matt Azeles, 717-787-5708
SEN. DUSH CONTACT: Ty McCauslin, 717-787-7084