A new bill under consideration in the Washington state legislature could do away with parental notification requirements for runaway minors if they are seeking sex change operations.
Washington’s Senate Bill 5599, passed by the Senate on Wednesday, requires that youth shelters must notify parents within 72 hours of the child’s location and physical and emotional connection, unless there are “compelling reasons” not to do so. The bill includes “protected health care services,” such as “gender affirming treatment” and “reproductive health care services” as compelling reasons.
“Youth seeking certain medical services are especially at risk and vulnerable,” the bill reads. “Therefore, the legislature intends to remove barriers to accessing temporary, licensed shelter accommodations for youth seeking certain protected health care services.” (RELATED: ‘I’m A Man Of God’: ‘Based Grandpa’ Storms Off Stage When Asked To Dance With Drag Queen In Viral Video)
The bill heads to Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk. Inslee signed a bill allowing transgender people to seal records of their name changes on April 7.
BREAKING: Washington has passed a bill allowing children to legally be taken from their parents if their parents don’t consent to their gender transition. https://t.co/FnlcHqZGVz
— Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) April 15, 2023
The Family Policy Institute of Washington released a statement Tuesday criticizing the bill for putting children in harm’s way.
“The bill does not state any point at which the host must contact the child’s parents, so the child could presumably be kidnapped from their parents for an indeterminate amount of time, and the parents would have no way of knowing who they were with, if they were safe, or if the police had any involvement in their child’s housing.”
“Sponsors and supporters of this bill have overstepped the constitution and case law in promoting this policy, which would allow state bureaucrats to hide minor children from custodial parents and legal guardians,” Republican state Rep. Jim Walsh said.
In a Senate bill report, supporters of the bill said that the legislation would help transgender-identified youth access “health care.”
“Access to health care is important to everyone, but especially trans youth. When you don’t have access it leads to life long challenges, including mental health.”