Governor Requests Amendment to Bill for Transgender Medical Care

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Senate Bill 99, written by State Senator John Fuller of Kalispell, would ban ‘gender-affirming’ medical care to transgender minors.

The bill has been amended by Governor Gianforte to state that public funds will not be used to pay for treatments for those under the age of 18.

Senate Bill 99 has Been Amended by Governor Gianforte

KGVO News spoke with Senator Fuller on Tuesday after the governor suggested the amendments.

Click the link below to read the Governor’s Amendatory Veto Letter

“Senate Bill 99 is designed to protect children from life-altering surgeries and in treatment for gender dysphoria while they are still a minor,” said Fuller. “It forbids the use of chemical and surgical procedures on children until they reach majority.”

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The Bill's Author 'Wholeheartedly Agrees with the Amendments'

Fuller said the governor’s amendments accomplished two important goals for the bill; making it difficult for any legal challenges to be successful and provides compassionate treatment for minors.

“Here’s what the Governor did,” he said. “His amendments work primarily in legal language, making the bill more unassailable in possible litigation, while at the same time making it more compassionate. It provides legal definitions of terms, strengthened those, and it's more compassionate in that it provides for the unusual incidences of less than half of 1 percent of children that are born intersex. I support the amendments wholeheartedly.”

Click the link below to read the amended bill.

Fuller describes what will happen next for Senate Bill 99.

“What has to happen next is that the amendments have to be approved on the floor of each house, and I expect they will, and then they go back to the Governor. I expect that there will be a signing ceremony, probably by the middle of next week.”

Senator Fuller said SB 99 is one of the Most Important Bills of the Session

Fuller said he believes SB 99 is one of the most impactful of the entire legislative session for the citizens of Montana.

“It's an important bill,” he said. “One of the most important of the session and I'm gratified that we've been able to hammer out all of the issues that it attempts to address, and I think a good bill to protect children.”

There are opponents to SB 99 that claim the bill is unconstitutional and will face legal challenges if it is signed into law by Governor Gianforte.