BOISE, Idaho — Some concerned citizens gathered on the second floor of the Linen Building in Boise Saturday to prepare testimony for Idaho House Bill 465.
The event was hosted by Add the Words Idaho, ACLU of Idaho, the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence and Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii.
HB465 is a proposal that would change current Idaho law to make it illegal for medical professionals to provide gender-affirming healthcare services to Idahoans under the age of 18. The bill would make it a felony for doctors to administer puberty blockers, hormones or gender reassignment surgeries for underage Idahoans. The proposal would carry a sentence of up to life in prison.
"When I grew up, I didn't have access to gender-affirming care, and it's negatively affected my life," says Claire Gutierrez, an Idahoan preparing to testify against HB465. "We know this care exists, these kids are aware of it, and to tell them they cannot have it is cruel."
The bill would not apply to children born with specific genetic disorders impacting sex development.
HB 465 is up for a public hearing Tuesday at 1:30 PM in the House.
