Judiciary Committee- House

Thank you chairman thank you committee thank you all for coming back after session today and give me a chance to bring this bill before you I think it's a very very important bill and I'm very on excited to bring it to you today this bill was brought to me by the the AG's office it was built it was one Barker center Tom cotton in DC and I'm really excited about this bill to protect the children in Arkansas I think it's a very very important piece of legislation it does too high to things the bill allows a minor who has been injured by gender affirming care an increase in the statute of limitations to sue for malpractice up to fifteen years after the minor attains eighteen I will take a break and maybe slow them. If you can do that that would be the miracle of the day. For you I will try to. Thank you know I'm all ears are old so thank you all right okay so again the bill is two things first of all allows a minor who has been injured by gender affirming care an increase in the statute of limitations to sue for malpractice up to fifteen years after the minor turns eighteen. The second thing the bill does is creates a safe harbor for those minor suffering with gender identity disorder and their parents provides a much needed safeguards for life altering medical treatment can begin as well as a list of risks that are involved. Before beginning tell me about the bill is I'm not sure story of a young girl by the name of call we call an eighteen year old girl who is a transition after mastectomy that she had at age fifteen then this bizarre story really shares why and bring the bill and the necessity I think of the bill. So we was twelve years old on counter self struggling to be a part of a female peers she was a tomboy like I myself was a tomboy she felt uncomfortable around Goshen out at Markham direct being around boys in her class. Adjournment time as a teenager in her life she found herself practice really felt isolated despite a lot of time on her phone and spend some time on a groups of her phone just doing some research in it a Snapchat different things about herself and with some groups that really got her thinking about her gender maybe she wasn't a girl maybe she was a boy after all that was sh but she found that just been on the internet and on her phone. so she decided to write a letter to parents and wrote that letter to her parents and after the letter her parents brought her to some counseling and what you get to counseling. She didn't receive some psychiatric therapy to discuss why she thought she was before she wishes to find that she was a boy they found a twelve year old spots. That she was a boy. After very few visit she was started on puberty blockers at the ripe age of thirteen and then on to sex hormones Jan this time she was placed on injured presence because she was depressed after getting put on those medications I was gonna put a personal pride in their I was a circuit mother in order to be a surrogate mother had to be put on some hormone blockers for a little bit to match from my side for the match my sister in laws and I can tell you it was not a good time for my mental health and my family and I assure to you that was not a good time for my mental health I was at a I was a mess for a few months honestly sides I can appreciate that Chloe at thirteen and fourteen was having hot flashes because of the medication that she was on she was feeling very depressed. one of the questions she was sexually assaulted by one the young boys in her classroom groping her breast and after that point you decide who's going to start wearing a chest compressions and compression breast because should not want that ever happened to her again. She were very wary of having a chest compression all the time to put compressor breast. And decide that maybe it was time to do a top surgery the call and have a complete mastectomies of fifteen years old both of her breasts removed. Shortly after mastectomy COVID hit and she spent a lot of time by herself in a room actually start taking on psychology course. And was then issues in her own room take a psychology course on computer started setting psychology and realized she really was on the scale of autism and once my things and understood why she was having behavior issues she was as a child at that point star print dresses on. Herself in her own room. Resolving which happens to a anyway resolving gender identity issues and trying backed to her female gender. Has been well documented. For decades. That they're not medically treated adults and adolescents suffering with gender dysphoria were resolved on their own without any medical treatment they will have a healthy normal life enjoying sexual activity the ability to have children enjoy the wonderful bonding a breast feeding their children if they wish to. Khloe will never have that option. I wish this was a single case I wish this was an isolated case and only case out there but it is sadly not we can learn more about Dietrich the transitioning of genders of adolescents who have been through this before that Chloe was recently misery the Attorney General has launched an investigation into the transgender clinic at the St Louis children's hospital after allegations from a medical worker there was a whistle blower this medical employee there reveals serious concerns about the harm being done by a rapid medicalization of children poor mental health care systems and the lack of written parental consent before permanent irreversible harm and injury was caused by medical treatment provided by the center. We do know that there are numerous side effects in puberty blockers and cross sex hormones and I'm going to read some of the pages of the bill and the bill is grateful look on page five of the bill. Line twenty one I'm gonna read some of these which here. Studies on the benefits of using primitive rockets for gender dysphoria are notorious of sorry wrong part of the bill Page imminent that. Did. At the top I'm sorry. I wrote my note so make sure you get to the right part when read about. Okay studies on the benefits of using pre blockers for gender dysphoria are notoriously weak beauty blockers are not fully reversible. Because of my other recipe blockers may intensify mais discordance and cause it to processed puberty blockers increase the risk of your child being sterilized meaning that he or she will never be able to have children. P. B. blockers may also cause diminished bone density FOR your child increasing the risk of fracture in early osteoporosis. the blockers mouse Provencher child from being able to engage in sexual activity or cheap an orgasm for the rest of your child's life there is no research in the long term rest to minus for persistent explosion publisher to beauty blockers the full effects of puberty blockers on brain development and cognition are still unknown. For cross sex hormones that are given every time somebody starts computed blockers the most every time had to cross sex hormones the user cross sex hormones in males associated with numerous health risks such as thermal and light disease including without limitation blood cots click by Otis including Gallup gallstones coronary artery disease including without limitation heart attacks. Michael Pell to many of. Which is a excuse me the tumor of the pituitary gland C. bill rascal disease for both escorted to use including without limitation strokes. Perpetrator try lesser media which is an elevated level triglycerides in the blood breast cancer your personal infertility the use of cross sex hormones in females associated with the risk of with those sites houses which is an increase in red blood cells severe liver dysfunction corner or disease including without limitation heart attacks hypertension and increase the risk of breast cancer and uterine cancers once the money begins classics hormones the minor may need to continue taking these homes for many years of possibly for the remainder of the minor slice the cost of this woman's maybe tens of thousands of dollars if the use of cross sex hormones leads to search through the total cost of transitioning exceed more than a hundred thousand dollars that's part of the bill that I want to read some of those. Like me I made this point you're wanting why would any healthcare provider give a child these medications knowing the lifelong side effects associated associated with them we've been repeatedly told. That will reduce the risk of suicides. Finally Jennison performing intervention prevent suicides bill as a skews me studies that show gender affirming. Interventions prevent suicide fail to show a causal relationship and have been poorly executed so the state is it trying to show was that taking his pre block written taking his cross sex hormones they have such known side effect at this point. The US studies trying to show that women suicide have failed to show a causal relation between taking the medications and decreasing any type of suicide sapere research designs shows that easing access to puberty blockers and cross sex hormones by minors without parental consent increases suicide rates using as a peer research design a new analysis by the increasing my as access to cross six interventions associate the significant increase an adolescent suicide rate. If we're not decreasing suicide rates and we know that children resolve the gender identity disorder by seventy five to ninety five percent if they're not given medical treatment why do we do it. Why do we give these could be ideological financially driven. In a video from two thousand eighteen our service by Joss Matt Wallace Dr Shane Taylor a university professor and physician at the Vanderbilt Clinton clinic for transgender Health explained during a lecture how she convinced nationally a pressure to get progressive on issues she had moved that transgenderism is a big money maker especially because the service cost quite a lot of follow ups tell delivered these remarks the same year the clinic opened its doors the service make a lot of money she said in the video so female to male chest reconstruction can bring forty thousand dollars a patient just a routine home ranch hormone treatment almost every time of year can bring in several thousand dollars it actually makes money for the hospital those are questions Dr Shane Taylor. University professor at Vanderbilt clinic for transgender Health. Low Brad for you read an article for teen vogue in twenty fifteen called you might you won't believe how much it costs to be trans gender in America it provides a snapshot of how expensive transition can be recommended to female transition as a teen and no it was encouraged by YouTube and videos to undergo the process read for paid thirty thousand dollars for gender confirmation surgery in roughly the same amount for facial feminization surgery plus Best Buy I'm plantation five thousand point there because at least fifteen thousand year brand preference expansion plans to be a lifelong patients. So I have a questions from committee members want to make sure what we're doing today will not interfere with physicians giving necessary medical care to them and individuals born with a verifiable disorder of sex development if a look on page two lines ten through thirty of the bill we can see that would clearly given cover for those positions so agenda transition procedure does not include services to persons one with the medically verifiable disorder of sex development or service provided by a physician has otherwise diagnose the disorder sexual development so it's clear that one of the bill would not get her physician who's doing things for a child is born with the dysfunction. They're very recognition which babies are born with atypical genitalia only be sure to cover those positions that take care of those children that are born that way. These cases call for sophisticated care and compassion but I'm fortunate clinics like the ones now that are doing medical medical transitioning or creating a whole cohort of kids with a typical genitals and mostly teens haven't even had section they have no idea who they're going to be as adults and all it took for them to prefer transformers that was one or two short visits with a therapist. The college that's why I'm bringing the bill to you today because we have a. A serious problem we have so many kids used to be just nine or ten out of a hundred thousand children now we have nine or ten out of a hundred. We have a serious problem children wish they would let alone medically could be perfectly healthy adults with long sexual activity but instead were given medications that will alter them for forever so this point I've it's okay with you HM I'm gonna bring Mr Brooks appear in eighties office answering legal questions from committee members and I'll answer anything else that members may description may come and join the table. We do have a question representative Clowney you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair I'm representative Bentley and maybe Mr books either one of you all and. Examples of other things in Arkansas law that can be considered medical malpractice that fall under the standard of care. Do you mean other than this medical negligence cases yes but have a standard of care that's right when the doctor is following standard of care is not negligent simply falling standard of care can they be held liable for not practice in any other instance. I thank the common law in Arkansas is that in a medical negligence case you have to establish a standard of care by expert testimony to prove medical negligence. So I records clear could you give your full name for the record I'm sorry sure have to manager on Bob Brooks in the chief deputy Attorney General for Attorney General Tim Griffin. You're recognized for a follow up thank you madam chair so. I don't see negligence is a critical piece of this bill is that correct. The doctor have to be negligence to be liable to be found guilty of not practice under this proposal. Well it. The the bill is as follows a medical malpractice bill and it does not get a there's no statutory no language in Arkansas for standard of care but that would be the way that I medical negligence because we have to be pursued from approve it to have expert testimony that the standard of care in Arkansas was violated. Thank you. You're recognized for another follow up and and I'll combined assented to because I'm afraid I'm not gonna be granted an. So submitted that may I guess my question it has to do with your numbers I'm concerned about the numbers that you just gave you just I mean you say things like there's a growing number this is a growing problem you went from nine to ten out of ten thousand and ninety ten out of a hundred I guess my first question is can you dig into the numbers a little bit and get me Arkansas specific numbers in particular how many children in Arkansas are currently receiving this care and how many adults regret having received that care as a child and the second part of my question is the reason for that question it is because I'm wondering if this legislation is driven by the fact that you were afraid that transgender people are unhappy with having receive gender affirming care or if if we as a legislative body I'm happy with transgender people having received that care thank you do the hip is apps I have no idea I have it prevents us from finding anybody so I'm not going to I don't have no idea this point we're up. I can tell tapping around the nation and we can see track the transition happen around the nation I would if I see harm happening to children doesn't prevent me from going to prevent here in Arkansas. Represent Collins you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair and I guess I I'm a kind of follow up with represent counties referred question and maybe put a finer point on it. This bill takes negligence out it says that the healthcare professional is liable if the minor is injured by the procedure treatment or after effects so this would be new I believe in medical malpractice where typically you have to prove the standard of care you have to prove a breach of the standard of care to improve you know it in injury caused by the action you have to put damages here there is no standard of care and there is no bridge the standard of care it's just if you have an injury that's right here in the language is no mention of that which is no mention of any kind of a standard that would have to be breached so if there's an injury by the transition procedure treatment or after effects there is liability I guess my question is why do we not think a standard of care or breach of incentives is important in only this type of action every other medical malpractice that has to be established. The standard of care is not codified in medical negligence regular medical negligence cases in Arkansas. There there's nothing is in the statute says that's common law says in order to prove medical negligence case you have to have an expert witness testify the standard of care in Arkansas it's not codified in the other medical negligence cases either it's not it's not mentioned lawyers standard of care but we believe that would be a a problem faced a part of the case to prove in this follow us please you're recognized for a follow up I understand that that's not codified as be proven but we're in this does it even talk about the standard being negligence I don't see that in here whatsoever. That does not mention negligence it met mentions a safe harbor in here there's liability mentioned under the water action and you have a safe harbor. For defense one last follow up with you're recognized so if you put that together all we're saying is if this procedure happens and there's an injury there's liability you don't have to prove negligence is this resist the mind did not have it. It is that what the burden of proof is and that is not is not outlined in this in this bill at all. But it it is intended I believe to be a net medical negligence case where a standard care will have to be approved. You're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair at. I want to make sure I understand you're saying that sixteen one fourteen two a six a one is not uncodified definition of the standard of care in Arkansas because that's what we've always used as the codified definition of standard of care which is presented be expert testimony but but a one is how we define what the standard of care is is not. I believe that the way I understand those type of cases medical noted that isn't cases being presented it requires expert testimony as to what the standard of care is for a for a medical professional in Arkansas. I don't believe it's the codified to the point where you can you cannot have expert testimony all along the lines of what is the standard of care. You're recognized right but the in and I understand that but but sixteen one fourteen two a six a one says that we prove it through expert testimony by using a medical care provider of the same specialty is the defendant using the degree the same degree of skill and learning ordinarily possessed and used by members of the profession of the medical care provider in good standing engaged in the same type of practice or specialty in the locality in which he or she practices or in the same locality is that not the standard of care I don't believe so and other I don't believe that some of codification standard of care okay and so this spring court Mitchell the link and Williamson B. L. Reid and gamble the Stroud was incorrect in determining that I'm not familiar with those because of that you're that you're that you're citing but the standard of care is established through expert witness testimony. Author codification of statute one more follow up then I put in the queue thank you so going back to the aim in the call of of of this hi bill why is it then if we're concerned about the effects of these types of treatments in these types of medications on young bodies why are we limiting at. The only these types of medications and procedures used on on trans youth are potentially trance use why not expanded out to any type of care or treatment provided to a minor without their consent that may cause an issue later in life why not include plastic surgery nose jobs breast implants given to girls in high school why are these things not included why is it specific to only transgender children. You're welcome to pass a piece of legislation it be like to I've I've included these things I'm concerned about for children at this point. Represent guess what you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair I want to follow in this line of questioning about. Negligence and standard of care in a I want to take issue to some degree about whether or not. This should require Proof of the standard of care or showing negligence this to me seems more like a strict liability action which we have in product liability cases multiple I mean some of the types of cases that you just mentioned are strict liability cases if you produce the product the product injured someone then you're liable for it as long as you can prove that the injury links back to the defective product district liability case and I understand that not practices typically analyze under negligence during but. This seems to Senate district liability and I don't necessarily see a problem with that can you elaborate on why you think that what they would have to be a negligence standard and why it couldn't just be strict liability. I think you could you could interpret this as a strict liability of statute the. The intent I think it's to have a medical negligence type action that can be brought after of a child reaches the majority age up to fifteen years after eighteen again in in medical negligence cases you do have to have a standard of care you could qualify that there's nothing that would restrict you from qualifying standard of care normally that's proven through as I say expert testimony. You're recognized for a follow up so I I guess I'll ask again is this truly a negligence based claim or is this a strict liability claims closer to secure cloud building. President Clinton you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair is that this is because a district liability is there any other instance where the provider and self rather than the creator of the product in other words the manufacturer of the drug or something would be the one held strictly liable. I'm not sure I understand what you're asking me so representative does we just give examples of of products liability right strict liability for products for manufacturers of products it District liability theory if applied to medical care seems to me that the liability with and following the manufacturer of drugs or something you know this the The manufacturer of the because of that you know the gender affirming care whatever that is is there any instance in Arkansas I guess are we free my first question is there any instance in Arkansas right of a medical provider being held strictly liable for providing treatment. Kelly when that treatment files under standards of care. I'm not familiar with one thank you. A college recognized for a question. Can you talk about civil statute of limitations why do we have them in law they're typically three years why do they even exist and are the situation with the situation described here be so define or why would be so different that we need fifteen years after the minor turns eighteen such an extended session limitations to that all the other issues solved in this particular case that would give rise to having such limitations I'm not sure what you mean by all the other issues being solved truck try the first part now follow twenty two okay thanks there there are obviously statue limitations very throughout the code for whatever action you're bringing there are longer ones than distance fifteen years after the after the of child reach the age of majority eighteen there are longer of examples in the code one that just passed last session let's longer road regular medical negligence cases two years. In Arkansas this is this this gives time for the Freightliner who's had a procedure when their minor child to change their mind and go back against a healthcare professional. I might wanna add just for the record because of. Representative counties question regarding strict liability I'm not sure it's an apples to apples comparison but I want to make this point talking about people that manufacture products and strict liability those people being and then you ask about healthcare professional this this statute specifically targeted to the healthcare professional. It's not targeted any manufacturers it's limited alter professionally created who who performs the gender transition surgeries are performed procedures excuse me for a follow up you're recognized okay so I'll try it again so the reason we have statute of limitations some of them are evidence gets stale people's memories fade people are not available to testify can lead to unfairness for the prosecution and when this case for the plan for for the defendant so we have the statute of limitations in their in law for good reason this would be extremely loss as limitation I think the one that you reference that we passed last session is for victims of of sexual abuse who that you know it may come to them where that something occurred I think that was the one exception that we have in law I don't think there's anything else at seeming close to fifteen years after the minor attains eighteen twenty five on that but it doesn't seem to me like in a case like this any of the issues around one of these procedures would somehow result in a lack of still evidence of a lack of memories fading a lack of any of the things that I talked about all those issues that compel us to have said she's limitations would still be present here would not. Well statue limitations is an arbitrary thing and sat on under if there's cases that you have a very short time period to longer time periods depending on what the action is. The one I was referring to four is the justice for vulnerable victims of sexual abuse act last time last session so that was a the person can can bring the action before he or she reaches the age of fifty five. So it is a you know and this is for people that are Vaught of minors or victims of of sexual abuse so that's a thirty seven year statute. in in in in in that call in that in that wall you also of. You you you were able to reverse cases that have been dismissed revive cases that have been dismissed for failing failing to follow the central imitations cases that have been dismissed can be revived under that law. Gazaway you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair so I guess the first question is I'd like to go back to the standard of care issue yes there are a generally accepted standard of care in the state of Arkansas for transition procedures. I don't think everyone has been established okay. So I guess that's number one and then again that would have to be a prompt start in right that would have to be through expert testimony but I'm not aware of one right okay. So that's one issue the second issue with regard to the statute of limitations. I mean if we analyze this similar to how we analyze a products liability case I mean many times it may be years after the defective product is manufactured before someone suffers harm or even would know that they would suffer harm from the product so you know take the breast implant cases for instance and it took several years before women started to have problems with those and we've had statute of limitations in those types of cases that are from the date of discovery of the of the issue and so would you not analyze this in a similar manner because it may be that those who were subjected to puberty blockers are those are subjected to other forms of treatment in this area wouldn't. Wouldn't alternately suffer the effects of that treatment maybe four years later and so that was why would be necessary to extend the statute limitations for such a long period of time is that would that be accurate. That is accurate and I would also add to a lot of the long term of the facts of these top of procedures just completely unknown at this time there's no one there's no research along the long term effects of this type of procedures. You're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair. Seventy two issues that I wanted want to get some clarity on with regard to some contradictory problems that I see with that one being in the state of Arkansas a physician is only required to keep minors records for six years after discontinuing treatment. So how would the physician in this case be able to access any sort of medical record whatsoever to defend against a claim made fifteen years after the minor turns eighteen. Well only going for basis I mean physicians that are engaged in this kind of treatment would have to adjust their fire with respect to their record keeping. You're recognized even though that's not required under state law you're saying that they need to be held to a higher standard even though that's not with the Arkansas standard is to protect themselves from a of a suit that might be filed later on I think that that that that would be the wise counsel of them to keep your records if you're gonna engages kind of transition procedures one one one one and and then the second issue that I see is how do you see the center playing with our medical malpractice statute center saying it's sort of like a strict liability standard but it's it's still malpractice sixty one fourteen to thirteen says that the remedies and medical malpractice statutes of the soul at literally this is that the entire text of this part of the code this subchapter subchapter is the sole remedy with respect to any action for medical injury against a medical care provider so how do we square all of this in this brand new subsect of malpractice actions with the fact that we have existing code that says the remedies in that part of the code are the sole remedy for malpractice. Well I think that the private cause of action as provided for in sixteen one fourteen four oh two would trump those because it specifically says what you can seek in a civil action including declaratory injunctive relief compensatory damages punitive damages attorney's fees and costs. Represent County you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair I think the president of content something that's more along what we're talking about I'm cutting into the back of the Cuban start senate. Represent college you're recognized. What is going to follow up because representative Gazaway brought up a great point you know breast implants for example can maybe have the adverse impacts down the line. Can you tell me what the statute of limitations would be to bring a medical malpractice suit for a breast implant surgery and also do you have to prove negligence against the standard of care that's established locally. In a press impact implant case I believe on product liability sorry medical malpractice okay excuse me. as I mentioned before this dispatcher limitation medical malpractice medical negligence Arkansas's two years thank you do you have to prove negligence. And one of those absolutely thanks. Per se cloudy you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair I'm I want to shift a little bit I'm looking at this language that were including for that the parents have to sign off on to receive gender affirming care for their children parents and children have to sign off on and so I'm I'm reading here and I see a lot of language about Sweden Finland Finland in the United Kingdom medical authorities in Sweden Finland in the United Kingdom you know due to the statements that basically and some say there's no evidence that the benefits of this treatment outweigh the risks I guess my question is did you in coming up with this language that our cans and doctors are going to be forced to provide their patients consult with I can't the doctors. Not to my knowledge. Members any other questions. Representing the color you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair representative Bentley I want to go back to your your initial presentation the young person you spoke of Chloe's ship from Arkansas now. what place you're recognized thank you madam chair what we don't do these kinds of surgeries in Arkansas day we have absolutely no idea does have this in place absolutely I have no idea what's taking place in Arkansas is completely protected by hippa. Any other questions. I see no further questions representing more you're recognized for motion. Thank you madam chair moved that we limited debate two thirty minutes for each side. We have a motion on the floor to limit debate thirty minutes per side Senator motion. What you're substitute motion we limited to two minutes per Speaker. That works out to about thirty minutes side so if you will you accept his I withdraw my motion okay do we have it your substitute motions to limit to two ministers per side two minutes per Speaker. Okay we have a a motion to limit for two minutes per Speaker any discussion on the motion represent guess what you're recognized for discussion. I always vote against these motions we have people who come from all over the state on both sides of these issues. who I think deserves to be heard before this committee you know the legislature meets once every two years in regular session to consider these issues and we don't have the patience to sit here and sit through people speak longer than two minutes on a very important issue I think that's a disservice to the citizens of the State of Arkansas there are people working full time jobs to work twelve hour shifts and we can't stay to listen to people speak for more than two minutes I think that that is I think it's disgraceful quite honestly I think that we should sit here and listen to the testimony both sides of the issue I understand we had a long morning but that does not justify not giving the people of Arkansas their day to be heard before this committee and so I'm opposed to the these types of motions in any form and I hope that you also will be opposed thank you. Per se because you're recognized for discussion could not agree more with my colleague representative Gazaway I'm gonna vote against this motion. I wanted to just withdraw your motion I think that this is a better motion in the previous one because I think we all know that there's going to be a long line of people on one side of this issue and they're going to be the ones are gonna be short changed so I think this is more fair but I also urge you to vote now. The members any other discussion. All in favor of the motion to limit it to two minutes per person please say aye. All opposed say no. The nose habit. The first individually have signed up to speak against the bill of sale or Everett. If you come to the end of the table. State your name and then you may make your statement but we are asking to be cognizant that we have a number of people signed up. My name is Sarah and I'm the policy director of the ACLU of Arkansas and I'm an attorney not a medical malpractice attorney but I have talk to people who are and as I said in committee before we have a medical malpractice statute it's been discussed today it already provides for our claims exactly like this if if for some reason this is really the only treatment in all of medicine that should have a strict liability standard and should have a fifteen year not just a fifteen year statute of limitations but fifteen years after they turn eighteen then maybe we can talk more but I don't think that that has been established there are plenty of plenty of medical treatments that have far higher rates of a grant then gender affirming care and none of those has an extended statute of limitations and certainly none of them allows for strict liability you have to prove negligence in all of those cases the card doctors who provide this medicine have testified under oath that they followed the established standards of care for this for this medical treatment they have. Testified our clients who received this treatment have testified under oath and spoken broadly about how this care has been life saving for them no one this section or last has been able to point to a single or Kansan who was ever regretted receiving gender affirming care. The other issues another issue with this bill is that kind of codifying what. It's part of what exists in and current medical science it does not cover all of the scientific studies it only covers the parts that that they think may conduct among Catholic baton and but even those studies some are old some will be updated there will be new science there is a continually new science in this field and I'm I mean if you want to come back every single time there's a new study to fix this that's great I guess but my assumption is that there's a reason that we don't codified standards of care in other cases my assumption is also there's a reason that as representative Collins noted that there are statutes of limitations I don't think that most people would agree those I. arbitrary but if they are then that's great we can expand them for every of medical malpractice case we can expect the at the very least expanded statute of limitations for minors who may not realize that they shouldn't have gotten this care until well after they turn eighteen but there is no plausible explanation to do it only for this treatment other than to prevent transceivers from a seating and general framing Care thank you. Thank you next we have this signed up to speak for the bill is Tony rose bush Rosa feel go then the table indemnify yourself the record you're recognized to make your statement. Thank you and good afternoon committing. there's been plenty of evidence that these treatments including surgeries and hormone treatments are harmful physically and emotionally for any healthcare professional to research if they care to as a lay person I can go out on to multiple search engines and find. Many instances of harm that has been caused by these and so I'll summarize since our time is limited one report when children who reported transgender feelings were tracked without medical or surgical treatment at both Vanderbilt University in London's Portman clinic seventy eighty to eighty percent spontaneously lost those feelings. Denying them puberty with purity blockers which often dissipates gender dysphoria using surgery in puberty blockers as the first line of treatment versus counseling. From a mental disorder. A gender dysphoria. Ignoring thirty years of research from people that have been doing this surgery for decades yes they were in Sweden we didn't do it they did. Showing mental difficulties increased suicide mortality and criminal convictions showing ten years. After surgery increased mental difficulties with suicide mortality twenty fold above comparable non trans gender and since the nineteen eighties before gender dysphoria was a thing and the potential cash cow Dr Richard green study found that only one of the forty four boys in his study was agenda to support by adolescence. There's a lot more but we have limited time. But given these odds given these numbers given these dramatic percentages. If a medical professional ignores the available available information as to the potential harm to the vast majority of children coming to them for a solution for gender dysphoria by radical physical and life altering solution versus counseling solutions. They should be held accountable. So I'm asking for intervention for the children of Arkansas and that you please vote for SB one ninety nine thank you this road we have a couple questions would you take those sure don't have to be true okay representative Richardson thank you madam chair so miss rose could you tell me where that data came from this is seventy to eighty percent spontaneously. Sure. This is article in The New York Times. This is doctor Richard green study. with gender dysphoria in the nineteen eighties also a two thousand eight study by Madeline S. C. walling at the the University Medical Center in the Netherlands. who reported in a group of seventy seven young people ages five to twelve who all had gender dysphoria it goes into the. So that's one. The other one that I I would I was only asking about just that one okay and that was the I'm sorry no no you're fine of and you said that was from the nineteen eighties in The New York Times correct. Right thank you we have one other question representative McCollum. Thank you madam chair what would you agree that does for a gender dysphoria is not a thing but the defined a medical condition. It is a mental illness that has been defined as a mental illness for decades well we're not gonna agree on that but follow up please you're recognized for a pop thank you madam chair do you have a child that. Has ever had a gender dysphoria no. Thank you mistress thank you up in next individual we have signed up for against is Jill old person I hope I pronounced the rain right chill over sin not seeing that person. In the room then we'll go down the list the next person signed up against is Jessica Disney. Please identify yourself the record and then you're recognized to speak. Thank you my name is just Disney I'm thirty years old and a transgender woman I have been receiving gender affirmation hormone treatment for just over two years now and this bill honestly would not directly affect me personally I'm also one of those members of that community that are still alive today it was because of support from close friends and found family that I am able to speak in front of you. I've spent years around marginalized youth speak to my own experience I knew I was different when I was young I grew up when the language I needed wasn't made readily available to help me understand why I am through a lack of representation in media. I struggled and intended to stop to deny my gender identity for the better part of a decade before I was able to get treatment and socially transition myself I hear many people fear mongering about films like permanent damage being done and I can assure you from my own experiences that there are already numerous hoops the I have had to jump through just to even be considered for my own gender reassignment surgery and I myself am in adults. The secretary is aren't even part of the conversation from minors and are only there due to people that are trying to raise fears throughout our society. In center people have been made into the net spokesman bombarded by hateful rhetoric just like gay people before us. The same few D. transitions are being used as an example justice ask as well in previous times people want you to feel scared in Fiji misinformation and lies to make you feel this way under the assumption that you do not understand what it is like to be transgender. If you think things like that should exist to protect children I implore you to look at the transgender youth that are some of our most targeted and what they're having happened to them look at what is being said about us to strum up and racist fear this bill is one of many and have come through this very Legislature targeting transgender people specifically I have walked these halls and spoken to members of both the house and Senate the employ of the world would be better off with people like me dad I wake up every day see my distance debated and treated like it's some sort of mental illness I've been harassed had threats of violence levelled against me and death threats we're just trying to be who I am. There have been people on national news say that people should take matters into their own hands and take advantage of our second amendment rights against people like me I've heard calls for us to be home in the middle of the town the world over. Just this past weekend we saw declaration from Talking Heads on one side of the spectrum that transgenderism must be eradicated and I can tell you that this isn't some new venture just the nineteen thirty three and **** Germany Hitler had been elected and begin passing legislation that referred to individuals at as we've been certified to sleep in which translates to lives on worthy of living. These policies referred to gays transaction to individuals and followers of Judaism amongst other things I'm sure everyone here is aware of the tragedy of the Holocaust that soon followed genocide does not happen overnight it starts with hateful discriminatory bills just like this one. Passing this legislation for the clear message toward transgender youth that our state does not deem their lives as worthy of living. I have had multiple youth reach out to me in my time both supported and unsupported by their families tell me of their own experiences more than a couple of made some kind of attempt on their own life due to harassment from their peers being given the signal from the adults in their life and their state. They're not accepted in our community this will cause an increase in depression for those individuals it will cause an increase in suicidality braids and it would be good not to believe that this won't lead to further harm to further harm against one of our most targeted groups in our current society so I strongly urge you to vote no on SB one ninety nine ensure that you do not want to be the reason some of your constituents get the dreaded call that their child choose today as their last day on earth. Thank you for allowing me to speak and while I am upset I would be happy as a transgender individual to speak to a an answer questions on both my own experiences and the transition to use that have reached out me and trusted me with their own experiences I implore you to ask questions of someone who has lived this life now that I have in front of you thank you. I see no questions thank you for your testimony today Nicks to speak for the bill is Jerry **** Mr **** we'll go forward state your name for the record and we'll recognized make your statement. Thank you madam chair and members of the committee I appreciate you of. I really appreciate you all being here and and listening to the testimony as diligently as you have debts that were to really a good thing for the committee. my comments about this our. I want to make them against the backdrop of the fact that personally in my other life I spent eleven years as a classroom teacher here in Arkansas. And when I see bad things happening to children it really really makes me angry. Because I saw all kinds of kids come to my classroom and that eleven years and I'm sure back then there were some trends keep kids that came through my classroom and there were probably some gay children in my classroom but not all high school and I look back on that and I think those kids were probably grossly mistreated and probably grossly misunderstood and for that I've I feel you know a sense of remorse about that we've all lived in that that society. But when I look at what's happening to some of these children it grieves me just as much when I see what may be happening to them at the hands of well meaning physicians well meaning healthcare providers and others. Last legislative session I had the benefit as may maybe some of you did to of sitting through hours of testimony in the public health committees in this building regarding the the so called safe fact regarding gender therapy on children man this body saw fit to pass that law because after all that testimony we had Arkansas physicians not just one but three or four came to that committee and testified over and over again as to the dangers of some of these. Treatments about youth and what could happen to them and the thing that group to be most is what I heard one of the physicians to say I've treated a lot of trends use that were twelve thirteen fourteen many of them girls who are going through the whole junior high girl issues that that happened. And he said many of these in fact most of these. By the time they're eighteen the issues are resolved without. Hormone blockers. Without or without hormones and puberty blockers and surgeries or any of those kinds of drastic measures. And so I see this bill as something that slows down that rush to judgment to say the only thing we can do for this young person is to take drastic measures that may affect them for the rest of their life. It has a provision in here that says you have to work with them for a couple of years to try to resolve the problems. It says that you have to be sure that they don't have a lot of other mental and emotional issues as many kids do. It says that you have to take precautions on the front and then if you do that that's affirmative defense against you know something that might happen later on. And so I look at this bill from that lens. Members of the committee. That what we're doing is we are slowing down a process that I heard one of the physicians say. It's almost scary the fact that the junior high girl can go online and decide that maybe should be happier as a boy and she gets one appointment with the doctor and see all the sudden she's on puberty blockers or hormones now that may not be typical. And I sure hope it's not typical. But if it is this bill will help address that. So does it say they can't get the gender affirming care or what what whatever we choose to call it. It just says we're going to slow this process down and we're going to do everything we can to protect kids. And if when they are twenty or twenty five they realize that this was an awful mistake and I was twelve and I didn't understand what when the world was happening to me then they have a recourse to come back and deal with that I think it's ridiculous that we have a two year limit on made by all in cases involving kids like these and so what it does is extend out that protection so madam chair I thank you all for listening to me and I just appreciate the time Mr Carter we have a question for you entertain questions yes ma'am I'll do my best representative council you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair Mr **** can you tell me a little bit more about I appreciate your heart for wine to protect children can't can you tell me why these and only these children or those that the Arkansas legislature should deem worthy of this protection I would say they're probably lots of kids that need protection of I look at the for example the human trafficking legislation that you all are taking up I'm going to be here cheering every step of the way because I think little girls that are traffic need a whole whole lot of protection this is an opportunity to protect one group of kids if you bring the other opportunities to protect kids then I will be right there with you follow up until recognized for a follow up thank you madam chair and. You mentioned some doctors that we heard from last session who testified I guess what's missing for me here is kids or parents or doctors at least so far who are testifying that this bill would in fact protect Arkansas can you just gave the example of somebody going to one doctor's appointment and then being prescribed puberty blockers you said you think that's fair and you hope it's rare it's my understanding that that's virtually nonexistent so I hope it is so my question for you is it is it your position that the Arkansas legislature is better suited to quote unquote protect these children when it comes to their health care then a team of doctors and their families and themselves well I think that yes and I think the team of doctors that testified on the safe act two years ago felt that way that the legislature was well suited to step in and put some guardrails up and and they did and they commended the lawmakers for doing that so I believe the law makers to testify I mean the doctors who testified two years ago would would agree that yes the legislature that's a proper role representing the color you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair Mr **** would you agree that when we ran the same fact last session that there were probably as many positions that they spoke against the spoke for. I actually I don't recall have many physicians there were on the against side because we were obviously focused on the being for it side I'm sure there probably were some the the ones that did testify or ones who had one in particular had specific expertise in the area of treating adolescent girls with gender issues and I thought his testimony was extremely powerful he had practiced here in Arkansas and now practicing over Tennessee but I felt like his he he he really could speak to it because he's actually done that been there done that and treated many many girls with that that that issue follow up please you're recognized for a follow up thank you madam chair is it true that the state tax now awaiting a court decision yes ma'am I believe it is thank you. I guess what you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair Mr **** would you agree that. It is squarely within the province of the legislature to create causes of action we do that all the time set statutes of limitation we do that all the time in every case every type of case we define penalty ranges for crimes all these things are within the province of the legislation just as what we what we're proposing or the senator and representative in this case are proposing to do in this bill is that right Hey you are absolutely right about thirty four years of walking these halls I've seen many many bills like that so yes you're upside I totally agree. Madam chair thank you for the the time and just appreciate the good work of the committee thank you Mr **** next up to speak against the bill is ten still up missed it again sorry about that. Hey. I intend Estelle and I am the advocacy coordinator for intransitive notification don't know intransitive is the largest trans organization in the state of Arkansas so these are matters I have a lot of experience with I spend a lot of time around trans people on a daily basis so I feel like to have that was stake in this and also I have more experience with the way that things work for gender affirming care and then you today obviously to speak against SP one nine nine and two D. barcodes lies being told about the Sweden study that's been referenced throughout this legislative session and to assure you that you are not to be offered surgery in Arkansas that relates to gender affirming care our youth are not lined up for irreversible procedures and there are no providers offering kids your personal agenda forming surgeries in Arkansas and I'm also here because this weekend at C. pack Speaker a member of the Republican Party called for the ratification of trans gender is amended by the way that word was cleaned by transposed to make it sound like a disease and we know this and didn't come his. This is comment sir met with applause more than half of trans youth considered suicide last year and I think that's low balling it. And in the last two years have been the deadliest on record for trans youth and other members of our community and one in three trans people have experienced being on house all these things considered and and still laughter from Republicans at the seat back and also languages being cherry picked from the studies that are being referenced as proof because all in major medical associations are against these type of bills that were coming back to that Sweden study that I've heard mentioned by I don't know how many different legislators this session in the words of the lead authors affiliation this study does not say that medical transition causes people to commit suicide however it does say that people who have transitioned are more vulnerable and that we need to improve care so this weeding studies actually saying that trans people need more care more treatment not not not not less caring nine the others also say that a great need exists to identify and treat co occurring psychiatric issues and recognize transborder not a monolith and there are treatment healthcare varies according to our needs I'm also we decided it's being financed it's based on data from nineteen seventy three to nineteen eighty eight and two thousand fifteen interview with the lead author she said what the data tells us that these are getting measurably better and the issues we found affecting the nineteen seventy three to nineteen eighty eight group right to timely trans health and psychological Care was less effective and social stigma was far worse so I'm asking today why is this study and other research specific to trans adults and our health care being used to back the ban of trans affirming health care for youth which by the way does not include irreversible surgeries there are not transmute being offered surgery center irreversible there related to gender. I mean caring Arkansas and then wondering why this study about adults is being used to try to ban trans affirming health care for you then to punish providers. To help keep us alive. Why is this study being misinterpreted to suggest it's dangerous to provide any and all forms of gender for me care to transgender youth this study is just focused on gender affirming surgery that's only one part of gender affirming care and like I said the studies are based on adults and the reversible some of them are irreversible dots in gender affirming surgery anything to do with kids. So I am just asking you to vote no to SB one nine nine as we're talking about non issues here we have spent this day talking about non issues and so I transport to sit back and listen to our existence and work being validated invalidated and being told that we're not even worthy of health care this is actually a non issue trans kids in Arkansas are not to be offered. Irreversible surgeries related to gender affirming care so I ask you please please. Are you they're scared our community is scared we're being attacked in nationally this is a strategic attack so why we're sitting here in the people's house I ask you today. Not to vote to have a cake as a radically does like that horrible man mentioned at C. pack and I really don't want any questions thank you. The to speak for the bill Missy Bosch. Seeing her in the room to speak against the bill and I'm sorry I can't read your writing it Reverend Mary Maria sorry and I'm sorry I can't read your last name so if you get to the end of the table and identify yourself you're recognized. Thank you madam chairwoman my name is Reverend Marie Maynard o'connell is a big name and I'm a Presbyterian pastor here in Little Rock but I'm also here because I am the parent of a trans child and so this bill is affecting our lives directly in this moment and to date I don't think we've had the opportunity to listen to the testimony of parents who are working with their children in this moment and so I can say at the beginning I am open to your questions because they don't think you do know about our experience to tell you a little bit more about our life and how we approach to this I have to back up just a bit my second son was born with a defect of his cranium the skull and it wasn't discovered until he was almost two years old here at children's hospital and so he had to have a radical life altering surgery to reconstruct the top half of his face insurance wouldn't cover it because the main medical statement at the time were that we can't prove that human brains have to grow in a walnut shape in order to be able to work but by the grace of god and the very good people of this state we were able to get the care that we needed to a children's hospital and my to my my middle son is thriving today. My experience with him helped me to understand how important time is when it comes to getting a finding care for my oldest child my oldest child started understanding that they didn't fit the usual course of adolescents before they hit adolescence and it was a slow burn. We had conversation after conversation about what purity would mean and who they would be and what they will go out to be like and we are a Christian home and so we made certain that our child understood they were a beloved child of god we love them no matter what and we would stand with them to try and figure out why they felt this way. The child is now sixteen it has been years we are now in a series of counseling. I don't think it's understood that here in Arkansas it's slow going for getting care it took a long time to find the right counselor who could say let's talk about this it took a long time to get into a clinic it has been numbers of times meeting with the same providers over and over again and my child is not yet on any puberty blockers or any other kind of permanent treatment. But the truth of the matter is is that my child is of an age of accountability and they completely understand how they are feeling in their body and if they've already passed the length of time to be in treatment they want to continue their treatment as a parent I want to give them that self sufficiency the ability to determine their own life and my concern with this bill in specific is not the medical malpractice peace it's the chilling effect that has on provider is being willing to give my kid there care what happens in the safe harbor Clause is it makes it so providers don't want to serve my child I am deeply concerned by an aspect that has yet to be addressed by any of the bringers of this bill as to why in the safe harbor statement a mental health professional has to attest that the child does not have one of four comorbid designations but they can't. I have depression or eating disorders two things that come about as a result of gender dysphoria or autism or ADHD to hereditary conditions that are not relevant to gender dysphoria and cannot be treated or removed my concern is that since my child does have one of those for that they're providers will be dis incentivized at this very key moment in their life to providing them the treatment that they need this kid would be here today. But I told them I wasn't sure if this was a safe place for them to be. It scares me that people in this room are still texting their senators and representatives asking them to ask inappropriate questions. Precisely because these are real people these are our children. And as I am a beloved child of god and each of you is a beloved child of god and I know without any doubt everyone of us wants to protect children I have to tell you that right now we're aimed at protecting the five to ten to fifteen percent who are trans. And maybe we didn't understand it is a society before and maybe it's confusing and scary especially as a parent. But if I can't give my child what they need to thrive and who am I. I ask you to send this bill back to answer the question as to why does for comorbidities to understand that it's real purpose is to limit access to care for a minority a small minority. The other persons you haven't heard today other care providers and the children themselves. And I pray to god that they will be here to speak later after me. I don't know if you have any questions we've had a long journey and I would be happy to answer them. I see no questions thank you the representative claiming you're recognized for a question it in represent cloudy before you make your question just so that everybody in this room understand to my committee knows this that I protect my committee at all costs today I have not heard one inappropriate questions today and if I did that committee member and that was me well enough to know that I would point that out to them but I I protect my committee no matter what side you're on and so I just wanna make that clear to everyone in my committee knows that you're recognized for your question thank you madam chair I'm I just got a question about you know we've gotten I think what I consider and satisfactory answers so far today about the need for this bill this seems to me to be a bill that is a solution in search of a problem that will actually cause a lot of problems I'm curious from your perspective as somebody who I think in both your professional and personal capacity has a lot of interaction with with trans children and their families can you talk about the impact that previous legislation has had on those families in other words the ledges but the impact that this legislation may have on them in terms of mental health health morale but also in in terms of them staying in Arkansas I'm asking this question because I personally know two families who have moved out of Arkansas since the last legislative session and I'm wondering if your experience is the same if you could just share. Yes I I can say that families are scared and and definitely I I know of some persons who are already making plans to move out of the state because it's not perceived as being a safe place to raise your children. I think where I can stand last night. Because my family needs to meet other families like our own we had our seconds potluck prepared families matrix person the politics and the first time we met. Twenty five people signed up but forty came and then the second time seventy people signed up and close to ninety came. We were crammed into a little bitty room. The church to be undisclosed but. The anxiety and the room is palpable for families that feel targeted. And we call this place home. In Arkansas as money in I don't ever want to move but I know my eldest talks about how hard it will be to choose a college because here in Arkansas it's affordable but in other states it's safe. And so when you ask how has previous legislation affected families. We felt like a political football that's convenient to be used and that we're not reveal. That we are enough of the minority that we can be vilified and. Be used I will say that you know this is a a problem in search of a solution or a solution in search of a problem it's not what's really the matter our kids are hungry our kids need better education and my fellow Arkansans need housing but I'm fighting to make sure that my kid can get the care that they need. Thank you for your testimony today next person we have is Brian Smith. If you go the other table identify yourself you'll be recognized. My name is Brandon Smith I use he home and they them pronouns. And. Before I really get started on a couple comments on some previous testimonies one is that pot look that referee was talking about. We got ninety people and that was all by word of mouth that was not posted on social media that was just talking to people and that's how many people we knew who needed support. The other thing is what Jess was saying earlier the Third testimony. I agree with all of that but for my part. I am transgender. I am also artistic. So again to an earlier testimony for kids who like me when I was a kid this wouldn't slow down transition this would stop it. Because I'm autistic. I tried to be cisgender therapist encouraged me to try to be cisgender. And I tried very hard. Because I didn't want to be trans I didn't want to deal with the medical part I don't want to do with the social part even more. And now because I didn't transition into I was an adult. All of my memories all of the pictures that I have of my childhood are painted on the canvas of discomfort and pain. They're all melancholy. Everything birthdays. Cross country races my high school graduation and dated a life AP exams. All of it it was hard. It was distracting because I couldn't be myself I was trying to do everything that everybody else is trying to do. It was also in the state of distress. By the time I stop pretending that time I switched campuses to one of acceptance. At least within my personal friends myself. My grandparents well dead. My grandparents didn't get to know me. My father was estranged my father didn't get to know me. My sister with across the country thankfully I can still talk to on the phone. And I had gone through all these major milestones. Already because I waited to transition. I'm not comfortable looking them. The last picture that I have of my grandma is from my high school graduation. And it was sitting next to each other hugging and she's smiling proudly and I'm standing there in this. Pretty white dress and I'm smiling. But that smile that you see that's. Covering up pain. It's hiding. That's time matters. That's why getting timely care matters. No one deserves to look back at their childhood. The way that I do. And this bill would force that another people on children. So I ask you one. How much do you really know about us. How many of us have you talked to for more than an hour or even thirty minutes. Thank you to talk to us. And I know that misinformation misunderstanding abound for that very reason. And this is on the bill and perhaps slightly foolish but. I encourage any questions that you have about. My journey or transitions in general. Please ask me. I'm. And that's that's all I have thank you. Seeing the questions thank you for your testimony today. Next we have Carter Kirby Carter Kirby to come to the end of the table identify yourself and then you're recognized to make your statement. A representative my name is Carter Kobe and eighteen years old I am transceivers and I encourage you to ask questions about the bodies at your legislation today. I'm a freshman at Arkansas state university Beebe I'm not a doctor or a social worker or a lawyer so I'm not here to present you with statistics or legal interpretation of this legislation there are people here who are infinitely more qualified women to do that and said I have to share with you just one story when young transgender persons lived experience with gender dysphoria and all I ask is that you set aside any preconceived notions that you might have about people like me for two minutes and come into this with an open mind to hear how debilitating it can be to live a life without the care that you need. Every day is about with neighboring. I thank of the about ten teacher to morning because if it's too tight on the test or T. shirt on my shoulders I'll be walking around all day with flashing lights and sirens in my head screaming that something is wrong. I'll set my car for ten minutes the person that were here in my Merritt said the pitch is perfect when my professor called attendance. I had never stopped myself from sitting with my legs crossed over zeroing in on arbitrary things that need to be just a little too aware of my anatomy my lowest I thought shall we support these because the thought of confronting a body that didn't want to kill my skin off. The thing about legislation like this is an attempt to fear monger Committee catastrophizing seem the worst when it comes to transitioning but the fact of the matter is this every day of my life but I've agenda burning care was spent in fear of what I might do myself. Listen. Two people are all around you they are lawyers doctors teachers students family members most importantly we are your constituents. We aren't going anywhere. Restrictions on lifesaving medical treatment like this endangering our youth we will show up sharing our stories. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony today next we have speak against the bill Samuel and I'm sorry I can't read your last name so he'll come to the end of the table identify yourself for the record you're recognized to speak. My name is Samuel McCollum. Okay. I didn't really expect to be here today I was invited may be two days ago to the clipart what I showed up had a great time met a lot of awesome people and I'm not transgender I have not experienced any of these things I am cisgender I do not understand what it is like to be transacted to present to you that I can accurately represent what any of that is like to go through the hoops in balance that you have to go through all the therapy in time all I'm really here to do is appeal to your humanity maybe a little bit of empathy and hope that you reconsider passing this bill I grew up in cabinet pretty somewhat diverse school I knew everybody I hung out with just about anyone you could imagine good and bad people I met lots of trans people and the people I Cabot high school who are trans women's rebel most of the people I encountered where absolutely as you described not they were not doing well at all the reasons for this were not simply because they were transgender I feel like those of you that believe that people who are transgender that way or feel miserable simply because of that is simply ignorant talking to just about any trans person I'll tell you just about the same thing had on in the same way the reason that you feel miserable is they are misrepresented their attacked vilified sensationalized and a small small minority is treated as some kind of disease and has to be a radic added in our community as if somehow these underground therapists are training people trans and making us all feminized. One of my best friends ever her name was cat and she was a trans woman and she was awesome she had to move away from Arkansas she loved Arkansas we hung out just about every day did everything you could imagine and I saw how people treated cat differently from me whenever I went to the gun show which is obviously a fairly right leaning group I would be treated absolutely normally I'd look you know I'm straight I'm white I look I fit the bill cat did not cat would be constantly attacked vilified insults thrown at home that her just at every turn But that did not discourage any of my trans friends it did not discourage her we all fight for a tenant unions we fought for workers unions housing rights the real things you need to address our state of the same things that transcriptomic like Carter and cat and Evan all advocate for food security housing these are real issues there is no threat from people who simply want to exist as they are All while dealing by these constant attacks by people that want to have a Cape them openly people who I call my friends who only want to lift up our communities constantly get twenty down and hated by those who only preach on kindness to those who want to be accepted for who they are one of my best friends Evan wanted to participate in ROTC all he wanted to do is serve in the military make its family proud to his nation right and he could not he was terrified that he would be hate crimes or assaulted or hurt generally in those groups I didn't expect to be here I don't really have a speech prepared these are just things that I hope you can empathize with because maybe you've known a trans person or maybe you've known someone whose experience something similar or you can relate to wanting to be accepted for who you are maybe there's something that you like to do that is stereotypically not something that's accepted and that's okay Yeah that's all. Thank you for your testimony today thank you next we have court the fire season for your sin speaking at. Yes the bill. Hi. I'm forty five years and I am a social worker and in a sect accredited sex therapist I have fifteen years of experience serving the trans community I'm here to represent myself my clients my trans siblings and everyone in Arkansas who values bodily autonomy. Imagine everyone you encounter all day long telling you that you're not real there's something fundamentally wrong with you being constantly invalidated takes its toll forty percent of gender non conforming people have attempted suicide. When you constantly hear that you don't matter and you don't exist sooner or later you come to believe that. I woke that men and. I have so many concerns about this bill from the statute of limitations being extended from two years to fifteen years for only a specific population the government intrusion on bodily autonomy the proposed mandatory statement of facts which is not based on robust medical research and does not cite the W. path standards of care that the worldwide professional association of transgender health that is created the standards of care for medical and mental health professionals since nineteen seventy nine. I'm a mental health provider though so I'll narrow my focus on the implications on mental health. Of trans and non binary youth. One part of this bill stipulates that a transgender minor seeking gender related care must have no other mental health concerns this alone would make it nearly all trans youth an eligible for any gender related care. Citing the Trevor project's twenty twenty two survey which captured thirty four thousand respondents. Three fourths of transgender and non gender nonconforming youth reported experiencing anxiety. Two thirds experience depression. Banning a person with a co occurring diagnosis from accessing healthcare is out right disability discrimination and that will be expensive to the state. Trans inherently prone to suicide risk because of their gender identity they are at higher risk because how they are stigmatized in society including bills like this conversations like this and many things happening in this room today. If we all agree we want to protect all children fringe injury it would be in their interest to leave the medical and mental health decisions in the power of their families the therapist medical doctors who follow cautious W. path guidelines that have been developed over forty four years I have my prepared speech which that was and I have several other concerns and I'm also open to questions there's one thing I agree with on the bill Page four line thirty one there's an accurate point. The accurate point is that the first line of treatment should is recommended for trans youth as mental health therapy. However if this is passed this would be a problem and I say that to mean if you're saying that a trans youth cannot have an additional diagnosis to receive translated Care but that person is advised to go to therapy they're not allowed to have an official diagnosis mental health diagnosis on the record no one can file insurance to provide them therapy so that insurance becomes accessible to that child. My second point that I'd like to add just toss it out there this opens litigation by extending the statute of limitations from two years to fifteen years but there's a problem that's created by this bill so I'm I'm not a lawyer but a malpractice suit must have an expert witness and expert witness must testified that this is the standard of care in this field no one in this field will testify to that so there will be no expert witnesses in these propose lawsuits in the future so your bill if passed is going to create a whole host of additional legal problems not to mention out they'll probably be limitation suing the state because it's also unconstitutional I'm more than happy to answer questions I've reviewed the informed consent forms from across the country from the Fenway institute that's been giving translated care to you for many years that have the actual informed consent forms that risk that lists both risk and benefit the statement of facts and this bill is based on false information old research does not cite the W. pass standards and have a whole list of places that are actually false information that you're providing to your state constituents I'm happy for any questions we do have a question representative had said you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair and thank you for your testimony eight you mentioned that you provide treatment for these these trans youth and you also talked about sort of that we've heard from many witnesses about the hoops have to jump through could you summarize a little bit about that process from the time that they use comes to see you too to where they would get to where they might receive medical care or medication sure I'm happy to explain the Debbie pass standards and also what's happening in Arkansas or at least what was happening before the chilling effect of the state the state backed so the American academy of pediatrics believes that a child understands the differences between males and females by the age of twelve months to eighteen months and they also the American academy of pediatrics says that a child has a fixed sense of their own agenda by age four so before kindergarten at this stage at this age only social transition would be permitted so by that I mean they can choose a name that represents their agenda they can ask people to use pronouns that represent their agenda they can have their teachers called by that name and pronouns no medications are administered to elementary age children. what is considered fully reversible by the W. pass standards is when when for the first signs of secondary sex characteristics begin to show what's called the Tanner stage to puberty development of puberty blockers are administered these are the first signs of those secondary sex characteristics it can be as early as ten years old but it's usually more and the age of eleven or twelve a puberty blockers are said to be fully reversible by all the standards of care an informed consent forms I read all the research I've reviewed and these are basically placeholders for that child have more therapy for that child to be presented in the world as their gender and to also make sure that this is a decision that they want to stay with throughout their life so just like Mr **** said It slows the rush to judgment. Secondly is partially reversible and this is a H. R. TV or permanent placement therapy and in Arkansas this is happening or again prior to the chilling effect of the safe act of twenty twenty one this was happening at about age fifteen sixteen seventeen years old after several years of therapy after puberty blockers had kind of paused at puberty from happening in this person's body and this is what the bill is referred to as cross sex hormones so there Warman's that are given to begin to present begin to go through puberty that's opposite of the sex that was assigned about childbirth and then irreversible steps would be surgeries and there is no doctor in Arkansas performing surgeries or irreversible gender related care in the state of Arkansas the W. pass standards of care set at the age of majority which in the United States is eighteen must be reached so it's already a standard so just like the people before me have said this bill is just creating more problems again I want to go back to what I said about the malpractice suit for this is kind of protecting the children but actually creating circumstances where you won't find expert witnesses testified that this is the actual standard of what's done in the field if I were called as a witness with fifteen years of experience I certainly could not testify to that. Thank you see no other questions thank you for your testimony today Sir next we have Austin is still. To sell if you go to the end of the table you're recognized to identify yourself and make your statement. Hi my name is Austin to sell I am a proud graduate of Hendrix College I graduated magna **** laude and I also have my masters of social work from university of Arkansas at little rock and I'm here today before you as a licensed clinical social worker making me an expert witness to this bill and today I'm here to speak as a mental health professional on behalf of Arkansas transgendered children and their families and this big but that I have with me today this is called the DSM five now the DSM five is the most up to date. Standard reference book published by the American psychiatric association it used by both mental health and medical professionals alike to accurately diagnose mental health conditions you know Mr **** mentioned that he was concerned that people could just immediately get on hormones as soon as an appointment is made that is simply not true and that is against the standards of care for treating people with gender dysphoria. The DSM five defines diagnostic criterion and I also have it labeled and if any of the committee would like to reference this victory gender dysphoria in children as quote a marked incongruence between one's experience gender and assigned gender for at least six months so nobody Health has a license in good standing like I do would immediately go to hormones as the first line of therapeutic treatment. Access to outpatient therapy and medical and interventions which as this bill points out outpatient therapy should be the first line of defense and I absolutely clinically agree with that but you know to. You know we don't offer flat Committee fears and said I would be unable to treat someone if this bill is passed for those issues and. You know I have worked with Methodist family health I have worked with bridge weighing and I have met with the fourteen year old right after a suicide attempt because they were not getting the support they needed at home for their gender dysphoria. And the biggest issue with even presenting this bill to the Committee is that suicidality will go up in Arkansas children and you know the gross misinterpretation and false information that you're presented with within this bill the argument is presented that waits rates of quote actual suicide remains extremely low when gender dysphoria is left untreated. AS in a ten mentioned this is a gross dangerous misinterpretation of one particular study done in Sweden based off of children who medically transitioned about forty to fifty years ago. As it is written in the DSM five again most updated standards of care for all mental health professionals and psychiatrists and medical doctors it states quote adolescents with gender dysphoria before gender reassignment meeting any sort of treatment modality are at increased risk. First suicidal ideation which means suicidal thoughts suicide attempts and suicides or as the in the bill's language actual suicides. Every day in Arkansas a child is being treated for suicidality. Every day. In Arkansas a child is being treated either and outpatient or inpatient setting for suicide thoughts and suicide attempts that would inevitably lead to actual suicide if left untreated. When actual suicide happens it is too late and for many of our children this is a time. Sensitive window for treatment. Because we cannot treat Arkansas children if they are dead and that's the point that I want to drive home clinically feel. To give you up to date studies done in America and American study in two thousand twenty two by Austin at all shows that eighty two percent of transgender individuals have seriously considered killing themselves and forty percent have attempted suicide. And in this study in. The group with the highest amount of suicidality remembered suicidality as defined by suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts. Are the highest amongst transient or children who this bill targets instead of works to protect. Another study is a two thousand two study done by Cunningham. Shows that when states pass legislation bills like SB one nine nine. There are increased it web searches for suicidal thoughts. And depression related symptoms. I urge this committee if you truly care about protecting children which at the very basic is keeping our children alive your vote no on this dangerous unethical. Filled with false information bill that goes against national and professional standards thank you I am also open to questions at this time. Seeing no questions thank you for your testimony today thank you next we have speak against the bill Michael. I will Secretary Mr Gallup if you come to the end of the table identify yourself you'll be recognized. Good afternoon thank you thank you madam chair my name's Michael Gallup I am at least a third generation or Kansan and would it goes back to where we don't even know but my folks hello from the Ozarks include public school teachers mechanics carpenters California's my grandmother was actually the first female justice of the peace in Fulton County. I'm a graduate of an Arkansas Christian college I'm a pastor in Little Rock Arkansas. And I'm the father returns use. When my child was born. I was hit with a wave of emotion. That made it clear to me that I would do anything in my power to protect that child the rest of my life. Like most parents this commitment has become a core value of mine. And every choice every decision I've made in my life since then has taken an account to my child care and protection. My job again to express gender dysphoria. We need to have the language for that that that wasn't something that was part of our value system in our home it wasn't something that we had grown up and been a part of we had a pretty drastic anti screen policy actually in our home which I don't even see a TV for the first year and a half of their life and when he finally got a phone as a young teenager it did not mince continues to not have access to social media. But when they begin to have this dysphoria we begin to see some marked changes in their mental health that were very concerning to the mother and I as I said this core value mine let me to do anything and everything that I could to care for my child and to help them get the mental health that they deserve and need. This place of need and our child's life like I said was confusing to us but I was willing to the hard work interrogating my own bias sees. And do whatever it took to help them get through this after significant research listen my child another transposed and work with healthcare professionals we did begin gender affirming care. Since then I've seen a marked difference in their mental health. They feel confidence and joy. They are alive and thriving in ways that did not think possible just a few years prior. This joy it has also birth in me and it story that I'm doing what I needed to do as their father and living to the core value those instilled with and within me when they were born. The store is also confirmed in my experience with others have already attested to this day the agenda from care is life saving. And it is life thriving for these youth. I do believe that the effects of S. B. one nine. sorry of SP one nine nine. Would be the exact opposite of its the stated intention to protect our children. So I beg you. To vote against this bill and help protect our youth and our children protect my child. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony today. Next we have Lance. Let them live fire. The fourth. I can remember that already on Star Trek the content of this. Depending on what you love twelve hill state your name for the regular you're recognized last live our I'm here as a private citizen my pronounce or EM an upper middle class white cisgender. Male married with three children. I apologize I'm not a sweaty because I sweat a lot and and you know this legislature shall we that we we like to live in a land we pretend things don't exist I was just running back and speak against another bill but why pretend racism and balance racism doesn't exist and somehow ballot still exists in our nation and now I'm here to talk about those that want to pretend transgender individuals don't exist. we spoke and I was one of the few points because there's so many great points I am now the parent of a transgender youth I am a former building principal at all levels District officer I have seen I've worked and I've seen though the. And the struggles that they go through and the way they're being targeted. if there is a statement made earlier that said somehow these have just appeared here I do want to she acted like to quote Senator Leding who I think is what tenths of the talked about in the the the Senate earlier was that I believe the numbers were on the nineteen has about four percent of the people were considered left and it. And it slowly got up until recently now our numbers are twelve percent. I don't believe people became more left handed in the last hundred years. But what did happen is we stopped ostracizing those who are left handed. We stop trying to pretend they didn't exist we stop trying to give them to not give them refusing to give them the tools they needed to express their left handedness. And now we see that it's not an app or not normality. I said it much better than I did but I love the quotes. Of the eight thousand transgender individuals. Researched in a recent study that had received agenda from Karen I can this when agenda from care less than one percent. Rick was expressed any regret. And of that one percent over half was a minimal. Regret regret. Not I think I should have gone back completely. Another state was made that many of these were resolved without measures that doesn't mean they're all resolved without measures in addition I heard to those physician speak two years ago I was at those hearings to. One of them. Maybe to actually did it. Working in Arkansas now. The other had to be brought in from out of state who had worked in Arkansas the others said have you ever worked with the tragedy with I don't know I think I may have once. So let's be clear that those who spoke against it before whom reference did not have experience. We talked about to the numbers in here so I'm gonna end it here because it. The psalm there's so much here. But the big problem is we're lumping everything together. Everything. And I've seen. I see in the harm that does. If you have not sat and listened to someone who is a trip to any of a transgender youth. A young adult and just actually listened not listen with an agenda not listed with the question to try to catch them but listen and ask questions to learn more to listen. You don't have enough knowledge at. To make a decision this big. When this is heard on the Senate side Senator Hester said our problem is that the parents have too much undue influence on their children. By voting for this you are agreeing with him. I will take any questions if there are any. I see no questions thank you for your testimony today next we have Allison. Three gov. Sorry. He'll come in. Give us your name and you're recognized absolutely thank you so much my name is Allison Guthrie and I'm a very concerned and scared I cans and I'm coming you today with my experience as a minor who didn't receive the care that I needed because I wasn't believed. as early as six years old I knew that there was something different about my body I kept telling my parents and doctors but no one listened it's all in your head they would tell me you're too young to feel this way. For years I believed them. For years I suffered from debilitating pain for which I received little to no treatment I didn't realize that everyone around me wasn't in the same pain that I was but I thought they were and I questioned how are you doing this. It wasn't until twenty twenty at the age of thirty that I was diagnosed with a rare disease called Ehlers Danlos syndrome and I was right about my body. I understand what it's like to not receive the care needed as a minor and I can tell you that he's taking years of therapy to overcome the emotional pain I endured and yet my existence isn't hated or politicized like that of trans people. When children tell you what they feel and how they feel they deserve to be lessons to. My message to you is this we must support children when they tell us what is happening inside of them we must allow healthcare providers the freedom to treat medical conditions as deemed necessary by the experts. There was no research on my condition when I was younger but there is a wealth of research on transgender huge youth which indicates that gender affirming care saves lives and that legislation like this contributes to my poor mental health outcomes like mine. Including the risk of suicide. There are risks with any medical treatment there's a medication that I'm currently taking so that my stomach functions properly that has a risk for something called tardive dyskinesia which causes. Insane spasms and contractions that aren't completely disabling but for me the risk of that disease and that permanent condition. Is greater. Then the ability to function. I need to be able to function there are risks with any treatment. But decisions to move forward with such treatments is always based upon weighing the benefits of that treatment with the risks that accompany it and this is a conversation that occurs between patients and doctors not legislators and constituents and now because of bills like in this our Kansans are fearing for their children their families and their lives we are sick of lawmakers believing that they are in a forty on things they know nothing about. How many times was less we sit in these rooms telling you that your laws are hurting Arkansas before you today I decide to vote with your conscience and not with their party. The question here is it what if these children are wrong about who they are the question is what if they are right. And what then. I ask you to consider that all of the testimony that you've heard today. And consider what this bill would deal thank you so much for hearing me. Thank you for your testimony today next we have signed up to speak against the bill Judson's Gannon Scanlon. Seeing that individual in the room next we have alley Tom listen. You come to the end of the table and you will be recognized. However thank you madam chair members of the committee I'm sleepy so I know that you all right thank you so much for sticking it out with us I really appreciate that and I am from disability rights Arkansas so you're state's protection and advocacy agency just in case any of you did not know and I am in your name just so I read legally Tomlinson thank you and so I am very very glad that we got around to the point of I'm talking about the part of the bill that mentioned and ADHD eating disorder and autism because of its discriminatory factors and that and I just want to make sure that you are recognized that it is repeating the rhetoric of individuals with disabilities and mental health conditions not being able to make decisions for themselves that's dangerous and they can individuals with disabilities and mental health conditions are completely capable capable our Kansans that can make decisions I will move on from that because you have heard that already but I did want you to be able to hear it from me and I'll to stick our cans and that makes decisions every day and someone that employs people with disabilities and worked with them every day and that I'm not only works with them but let them lead teams and even sends them out across Arkansas to train and lead others. I do want you to understand that and this bill goes against the accepted wisdom and medical professionals instructors families of their ability to make choices with those medical professionals and and I thought that was what we were going to be doing less of this session I thought that we were all under the inception of we wanted families to be able to make choices more of that this bill does not have a need we should not be here right now we ask what they need for this was in Arkansas and there is not one it is on the basis of wanting to protect children and we have children in Arkansas that we could be protecting right now and I would like to give you some quantitative data on that in just a moment some real quantitative data the children here in Arkansas so I just want to point out that this bill is not in response again to anything that's happening in our state but to national panic that is exasperated by misinformation and social media outrage now going back to the point that children in Arkansas need you right now and the more that we target individuals in Arkansas and we're not actually getting any work done they are children that need to be saving so because we are your state's protection and advocacy agency that means that we go in and we monitor places like the psychiatric residential treatment facility we could stop wasting time on things that would happen in the future that's happening out of places that you're not representing and we could start focusing on places like this the children that are crying out to you that need help right now so in just half of two thousand and twenty two there were thirty five staff abuse incident reports they were sixteen incidents of forced sexual peer to peer contact there was forty one incidents to peer to peer violence that resulted in injuries and that was thirty four separate youth abatement incidents and a hundred and seven and inflicted injuries including or not including and suicide attempts this is you then Arkansas that need you right now this is not something that's happening outside of our state this is this bill was supposed to be for saving children keeping children safe but what children I'm talking about children I need you right now we need to get to work for Arkansas not something that's just made up not something that as I have noted that no quantitative data and no proof I'm asking you to put things like this aside and get to work with me on things that really matter to our state and I would like to take any questions. Seeing no questions thank you for your testimony today thank you so much. Next to speak against the bill is carbon. Garbus. That is that I'm not sure if the microphone on representive hill we checked represent Bentley okay just get close enough to the microphone so we can hear you thank you I'm a short ways sorry. I'm not here as an expert of any kind except. And I really want to fit in this. My name is was about forty five years old I've been with my husband Chris for twenty eight years. We know that it's. Mmhm we have five beautiful children. Nineteen sixteen fifteen thirteen. And soon to be twelve. Well this is a sophomore in college and aspiring film major which means it's gonna be broke forever. The other for all involved in band and choir and they play approximately ten instruments between them. I'm a nurse and I have been for the better part of twenty years. A lot of my career has been as a child and adolescent psychiatric nurse which includes some time as the director of nursing at a facility here in Little Rock I called you home and. I say all of this just to say that I have lots of experience caring for kids. and I've seen firsthand how life changing it can be for a person by simply just using their preferred pronouns. And I've always been an ally but I've always just come from a place of not understanding it I really still don't I was born a girl I was told I was a girl growing up I was treated and socialize like a girl. and always just made sense to me when I gave birth to my second child I was told. It's girl but immediately some labs were off. The child's your reserve was not open enough and we were prescribed a cream. That was a hormone. to Pat on her genitals. Right to help with that. Again it was a hormone. No one lectured me no one made me feel like I was a bad mom for doing that. When parents but their daughters on puberty blockers. And also I should state that I was a school nurse for awhile and I had several students who were on puberty blockers at an elementary school for what's called precocious puberty I don't know if you're aware of what that is but that's when your daughter wants to start puberty when she's in the second or third grade and get beads and started period and the second or third grade. and so it's not uncommon for girls to be paid on puberty blockers or that. So when parents do that. you know when your daughter wants to start her period at the age of eight or nine No one to raise your rates you for that as a parent. when a boy is abnormally short for his age or is not hitting puberty like you should an apparent decides to give him testosterone shots to help him grow I personally know three boys right now here on testosterone shots for that very thing. NO one tells their parents that they're doing the wrong thing. that when my child. Started telling me. They were out to speak. The way. Refusing to address this literally pulling them off. Pulling those out of their hair since they had the literal dexterity. When my child. Was actively suicidal. Wanting to die. And my choices where. To call him Simon. And say he helped. And just give him a shot at weekly testosterone which by the way was not one appointment it was years in the making for. And watch them blossom. And thrive. We get. And begin to live. And become this. The human being. To not to deny him of those things. I literally watched him die. I choose the former. There's no surgery being offered to him. There are no physical changes that couldn't be reversed if we stop the medication. And there certainly is no more risk for my child then there is any other children who are taking these hormones are ready for any number of other medically indicated reasons that I just listed above. So please when you're talking about these things and when you're considering these things consider science and reason. You don't have to understand. To have compassion. In addition. It was brought up earlier about the consent informed consent be nice for you to listen since this is your help deal hang on just a moment we don't. Please don't don't address the representative like that thank you okay. It's just rude. Parents already so our experience was when we went to finally made the step. We Simon had to go to multiple appointments with a psychiatrist who was not just any psychiatrist a psychiatrist had to be trained in this field from multiple appointments had to have a sack of a psychological evaluation both by for that psychiatrist FOR a and B. C. that psychiatrists for at least a year. And then we had multiple appointments with the the doctors and then had to have another psychological evaluation with the doctors at we went to children's before we were told we couldn't do that anymore and that cycle that psychological examiner had to agree with our psychiatrist and they had to speak and they had to agree and you know there had to be there had to be a diagnosis and there had to be all these things I had to be told we had to go to two different appointments I was told of all of the risks of the medicine Simon was told of all the rest of the medicine I had to sign dad had to sign like since we're married I couldn't just sign as the mom both parents had to be at the appointment so I had to sign that had designed kid had to sign and my kid was almost sixteen before we ever started this. now I was in complete disarray before. We started anything and our whole home environment changed. Just by addressing our child by him two years before we ever even started for months so that's called gender affirming care like literally just addressing people how they want to be addressed So again I just say what other people say quickly there are no surgeries being done in Arkansas on kids there are no permanent things being done to children in Arkansas that is a scare tactic. Just it's fearmongering. I'm a mom I've got five kids we don't have a transgender we just get up every day we do homework at job All My Children all over the world doing homework and activities when not indoctrinating people we're just be regular people and my kid just want to go to school and plays French horn and you know. Be like everybody else and just be a normal human and not have to fight every single day just to be here he is so please vote against this thank you. Thank you for your testimony we have Simon garments to. Testified against the bill. State your name for the record you're recognized to present your statement. Hi I am Simon god that I'm sixteen years old and I'm transgender I've been on testosterone for about fifteen a half months now and I am the most confident and comfortable in my body and mind and in my identity than I have ever been in my entire sixteen years on this earth stay in testosterone was a big process for me my family had countless trips to the clinic I think it several psychological evaluations I had to get diagnosed with gender dysphoria and I'm I had to continue therapy for six months after my first injection which I still do now. I was told about the health risks and side effects the same as if that is the standard way with low testosterone had to start injections along with H. I. T. E. I plan to have tradition transitional surgeries as an adult the idea that any child is getting gender reassignment surgery as false and not found in fact no genital mutilation is taking place on children what I can tell you is will take place as thousands of children lose access to life saving H. I. T. and puberty blockers including me this bill will one hundred percent without a doubt detrimentally affecting my life my well being and my happiness and my future I plan to attend UCLA next yet majoring in biology and minoring in music I also. And become a surgical technician and worked at my mom I plan to continue playing French horn and the Arkansas youth symphony orchestra and I plan to do in Arkansas the actual Arkansas symphony orchestra and a few year is passing this bill will guarantee that my future will be jeopardized losing access to this healthcare winning my blood will be on your hands you are taking away my lifeline are you truly willing to look in my eyes and sentenced me to death right now as I stand here as they sit here at this microphone. Please vote no please let trans children live thank you. Thank you for testimony we have no one else who signed up to speak for against the bill representative Bentley you're recognized to come close for your bill. Thank you chairman thank you committee for hearing the testimony on this bill so let's get back to what the bill really does a bill stops treatment for absolutely no on this bill is not stopping treatment I'm not asking to make medical diagnosis on this bill it all the bill simply does it will go back to S. B. one ninety nine allows a minor who's been injured by gender affirming care increasing the statue of limitations to sue for malpractice up to fifteen years and it creates a safe harbor. For gender of first minors and their parents suffering from gender just for its all this bill does it does not stop the treatment for single person nobody here this testified about treatment stop but it doesn't stop it encourages psychotherapy does not discouraging that with which I want us to think make this for a minute if you're on a jeep tribute with a bunch of your friends are taking a jeep for about the woods and I was that one of your friends across the road is blocked and you guys and I look at a cell phone the Franken takes you back and say Hey you can't turn around we get a chance because if you can afford is a huge block you're not gonna get past it and that's really what we're seeing with England and Finland and Europe in all those places that have been doing this for decades they're saying massive. Of health concerns for minors that get this health this medical the. Agenda the P. blockers and the cross sex hormones and they're sending us a signal saying Hey take a break man and look and see make sure that we're doing the very best for our kids because those things are causing great health risks for these patients and their not reversible children being sterilized and that it would have kids with these people proctors and cry six hormones and so that's all is giving parents. Both sides of the story the Bill stops treatment for no one absolutely no one gets cups treatment for this is not what the bill does I'm a I'm a nurse I care about people is exactly what brought this bill because I read stories about Chloe about young girls at fifteen that are getting double mastectomies they are across this nation and we just look in Missouri what's happening right across the line in Missouri at the children's hospital there which children are being used to get a lot of money with medical treatment that's what this is about is not asking you to do the B. medical experts I know it's hard for some specials and refreshments I'm asking to be amended expert I'm just asking you for that for that minor to have a chance to have an increase in sexual situations and for these parents to have a safe harbor this bill stops treatment for no one whatsoever I care about people that's why I'm here we can't stop and not listen to the warnings mean talk about our kids. I care about these kids up like I said up in the nurse at children's for fourteen years I have worked to bring children and kids I care about and that's what this bill is about it is not stopping eleven treatments not saying we don't care se we do care let's get the best care for kids and make sure that parents are hearing both sides of the story and with that colleagues I'll ask for do pass on this good bill thank you members representative Bentley has close for a bill with the wishes of the committee. Revolution to do pass on the table the discussion on the motion representative Clowney you're recognized. Thank you madam chair I want to start out by being very clear about the fact this bill does in backstop treatment if somebody is suffering from depression eating disorder autism ADHD intellectual disability or psychotic disorder so and that is in the language of the bill that you have to not have any of those conditions I'm in order to meet the safe harbor provisions but I think it. My biggest concern here I guess I just want to ask you all colleagues before you take this vote to ask yourself if there is a trans person in your life if there is a trans person that you now and it's okay if there isn't I am incredibly lucky that there has been transferred to in my life since I was in eighth grade that is when I met the first person that I knew I was trans so I have had a lot of time to learn and to get used to these issues to understand them to hear people out who were directly impacted but I understand that not everybody is lucky is that to have those experiences in those interactions. What we did have today with the opportunity to hear even if these are people who are in your life people who you know and you left personally they are the people who will be directly impacted and we heard from them today and to R. one. They all bad to us not to vote for this bill. The reason for the increase in gender affirming care in Arkansas is it it's a money maker for hospitals in different cash cow was used but you know we didn't hear from today one person from hospital asking us to vote against this bill because it was in their financial interest. We heard from trans people we heard from parents of trans people we heard from friends of trans people. People love them and desperately want to protect them. We heard no reason why we need this legislation and we heard hours about the time that it will do. There is no evidence that this legislation will protect the people that it is claiming to protect the people that it is claiming to protect have to hold themselves. It will in fact her. I know everyone of you on this committee. To be compassionate and to be humble and I am asking you to please tap into that consider what we don't know and what we've heard from those who do now please thank you. Members any other discussion. Represent the call you're recognized for discussion. Thank you madam chair I'm concerned about our Arkansas kids an Arkansas doctors this bill does change medical malpractice which we already have agreed to a representative council there is no money making scheme going on here the surgeries are not happening in Arkansas in reality the carriers actually thoughtful and cautious some asking you to listen to this Arkansas Community listen to the Arkansas parents and trust the parents with their own children's care I'm going to vote no on this. Members any other discussion. Seeing no further discussion a motion on the table is a motion to do pass on Senate bill one ninety nine all in favor of the motion say aye. All opposed say no. The ayes have it the bill has passed members before we end the day I want to thank each of you for your attendance today you have been very attentive and have stick stuck with this with that let me one more time because we've already revised what we're hearing for Thursday it's going to be fourteen thirty four fourteen fifty nine fourteen seventy fourteen ninety six eleven forty one fourteen twenty four one Senate bill two eighty two thank you so much for your attention we are adjourned.