Republican State Sen. Tom Takubo of West Virginia introduced an amendment which allows children diagnosed with gender dysphoria to receive sex change treatments.
The original bill would ban sex change surgeries, hormones, and puberty blockers for minors in West Virginia. The legislation passed the West Virginia legislature Saturday. Takubo introduced an amendment at the last minute which allows “[p]ubertal modulating and hormonal therapy for severe gender dysphoria,” in the event that “[t]he minor has been diagnosed as suffering from severe gender dysphoria by no fewer than two medical or mental health providers.” (RELATED: Lies The Left Is Telling You About The Culture War)
Takubo, the Senate Majority leader, was joined in support of the amendment by Republican lawmakers Mike Oliverio, Craig Blair, Ryan Weld, Jack Woodrum, Charles Trump, Chandler Swope, Ben Queen, David Stover, Mike Maroney, Eric Nelson, Mark Hunt, Vince Deeds, Jason Barrett, Donna Boley, Bill Hamilton, and Charles Clements. Takubo’s amendment passed by 20 to 12.
None of the Republicans who voted to allow sex change treatments for gender confused minors in West Virginia responded to the Daily Caller’s repeated requests for comment.
West Virginia Republicans Caved https://t.co/CvIWYXwsRJ
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 13, 2023
Republican Senator Mark Maynard, who did not vote for Takubo’s amendment, said the addition to the bill jeopardized its clarity.
“This amendment would disintegrate the clarity of the bill in its very simple terms,” he said, ABC News reported. “These guardrails are already in this bill as it came to us from the House.”
Republicans in West Virginia hold the Senate by a margin of 31 to 3. State governor Jim Justice has approved bills related to transgender issues in the past, signing legislation that barred men from competing in girl’s and women’s sports in 2021.