Alabama lawmaker files bill to protect children from gender reassignment treatments
A new bill in Alabama would make it illegal for doctors to prescribe puberty blocking medications or opposite gender hormones to minors. The proposed legislation would also ban radical surgeries, such as hysterectomies, mastectomies or castrations, from being performed on minor children. Troy- Republican, State Rep. Wes Allen filed HB 303: the Alabama Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act (VCPA) in the Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday. The legislation would make it a Class C felony that punishable by up to 10 years in prison. “I was shocked when I found out doctors in Alabama were prescribing these types of drugs to children,” Allen said. “This is something you hear about happening in California or New York but it is happening right here in Alabama and it’s time we put a stop to that practice.” Allen recognizes there are children who are struggling with psychological disorders, such as gender dysphoria that causes them to be confused about their gender identity but he believes that we should help those children with therapeutic treatment from qualified mental health professionals, not allow these children’s bodies to be permanently mutilated. “Gender dysphoria is a real disorder. It’s listed in the DSM-5, published by the American Psychiatric Association, which lists all recognized mental disorders,” Allen explained. “These children are suffering from a psychological disorder, just as someone who is suffering with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia but we treat those patients and try to help them. We should treat these psychological disorders as well.” The legislation also requires that parents be notified by school officials if those officials learn that a child has gender dysphoria. Allen noted many of the puberty blocking medications and opposite gender hormones being prescribed to Alabama children have irreversible consequences including sterilization, liver disease and increased risk for cancer. Allen further explained that the FDA has never approved the use of puberty blocking medications for the treatment of gender dysphoria. “These patients are children who have not reached physical or mental maturity,” he added. “It is irresponsible to permanently mutilate them at their request or at the request of their parents. We don’t allow minors to enter into contracts, buy alcohol or get a credit card because they aren’t capable of making those decisions and we should not allow them to do this either.” On Friday, the conservative Eagle Forum of Alabama came out in support of Allen’s legislation. “We support this bill because it protects vulnerable children who are suffering from gender dysphoria from irreversible medical procedures that will alter their bodies for life,” said Eunie Smith, President of Eagle Forum. “The brain’s frontal lobe that is responsible for emotional expression, problem solving, memory, language, judgment, and sexual behaviors is not fully developed until age 25. Therefore, many minors are making life-altering decisions which may render them sterile for life, cause serious bone loss, and decreased cognitive development from hormone therapy. Other harmful effects are not fully known. Children must be helped; not harmed.” At least six states nationwide have introduced similar “vulnerable child” legislation in the 2020 legislation session.Sen. Shay Shellnut has introduced a companion bill, SB 219, in the Alabama Senate. Allen’s bill will be considered by the Alabama House of Representatives in the coming weeks.
Coronavirus patients not coming to Alabama, lawmakers assure
Plans to bring coronavirus patients to Alabama have been cancelled. That’s according to Gov. Kay Ivey, Sen. Richard Shelby and Rep. Mike Rogers. The news follows a Saturday press release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) saying the FEMA Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Ala. would be used as a quarantine site for patients transferred from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that had been in Japan. On Sunday morning, Ivey issued a statement explaining the entire situation, calling HHS’ press release “perhaps premature.” “On Saturday, it appears that a press release from HHS was inadvertently, and perhaps prematurely, sent notifying the State of Alabama that these individuals were scheduled to begin transporting to Alabama as early as Wednesday,” Ivey said in her statement. “Obviously concerned, there were a number of conversations between HHS, the White House, my staff and me, as well as two rounds of conference calls including the senior staff of the Congressional Delegation to try to clarify HHS’ intent and reasoning for selecting Alabama. On one of the calls, they informed us that the CDP in Anniston is only being considered as a “back-up” plan, in case they run out of alternative locations. They assured us on both calls that no decision had been made to send anyone to Anniston.” Ivey followed up her statement with a tweet explaining President Donald Trump called her and assured her that the patients who were aboard the Diamond Princess wouldn’t be transferred to Alabama. “@realDonaldTrump called to assure me that this plan will not move forward. I thanked him for his support of AL! We always want to help our fellow Americans, but this wasn’t fully vetted. Thank you @SenShelby @RepMikeRogersAL for advocating on our behalf! #alpolitics #teamwork” .@realDonaldTrump called to assure me that this plan will not move forward. I thanked him for his support of AL! We always want to help our fellow Americans, but this wasn’t fully vetted. Thank you @SenShelby @RepMikeRogersAL for advocating on our behalf! #alpolitics #teamwork https://t.co/fzpaBmJOtW — Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) February 23, 2020 Sen. Shelby made a similar tweet of his own: I just got off the phone with the President. He told me that his administration will not be sending any victims of the Coronavirus from the Diamond Princess cruise ship to Anniston, Alabama. Thank you, @POTUS, for working with us to ensure the safety of all Alabamians. I just got off the phone with the President. He told me that his administration will not be sending any victims of the Coronavirus from the Diamond Princess cruise ship to Anniston, Alabama. Thank you, @POTUS, for working with us to ensure the safety of all Alabamians. — Richard Shelby (@SenShelby) February 23, 2020 Alabama 3rd District U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers later chimed in on Twitter as well: When @realDonaldTrump called me this afternoon with the great news that he cancelled the plan by HHS, I wholeheartedly thanked him on behalf of people of Alabama. Let’s all say THANK YOU to President Trump for his tremendous leadership! When @realDonaldTrump called me this afternoon with the great news that he cancelled the plan by HHS, I wholeheartedly thanked him on behalf of people of Alabama. Let’s all say THANK YOU to President Trump for his tremendous leadership! — Mike Rogers (@RepMikeRogersAL) February 23, 2020 Read Ivey’s full statement regarding the situation below: “Late Friday night, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) informed me about their proposal to transport Americans who have tested positive with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) from the Diamond Princess cruise ship to a FEMA Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston. Sensing the urgency, I quickly informed the offices of Senators Richard Shelby and Doug Jones and Congressman Mike Rogers, as well as Dr. Scott Harris with the Alabama Department of Public Health. “On Saturday, it appears that a press release from HHS was inadvertently, and perhaps prematurely, sent notifying the State of Alabama that these individuals were scheduled to begin transporting to Alabama as early as Wednesday. “Obviously concerned, there were a number of conversations between HHS, the White House, my staff and me, as well as two rounds of conference calls including the senior staff of the Congressional Delegation to try to clarify HHS’ intent and reasoning for selecting Alabama. On one of the calls, they informed us that the CDP in Anniston is only being considered as a “back-up” plan, in case they run out of alternative locations. They assured us on both calls that no decision had been made to send anyone to Anniston. “I made it abundantly clear that while the State of Alabama wants to work closely with the Trump Administration to assist fellow Americans who may have tested positive for the Coronavirus, there were some grave concerns about why the site in Anniston was chosen and how, logistically, this would play out in the event this back-up site were to be eventually activated. “First and foremost, my priority is to protect the people of Alabama. While locating these folks in Alabama is currently a backup plan, this is a serious issue and we need to be fully aware of the facts regarding the potential of housing them in Anniston. “I am grateful to Senator Shelby and his team for coordinating today’s effort to send officials from HHS to Alabama to provide further clarity to this situation. I also appreciate Congressman Rogers for speaking with the President and informing him of the concern of the people of Alabama. Through these coordinated efforts, we will begin a process that will be transparent, and hopefully find a solution of which we are united and comfortable with.” Read the original HHS press release below: “HHS is taking precautions to protect the health of all Americans from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). To that end, HHS and FEMA agreed to use a federal facility, the FEMA Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama, as a place for some of the American passengers from the Diamond Princess to stay.
New ad from Senate-hopeful Tommy Tuberville aims to combat ‘fake news’ attacks
U.S. Senate-hopeful, Republican candidate Tommy Tuberville on Saturday released a new television ad aimed at combatting what he calls a “a series of false, fake news-style attacks launched by opponent Bradley Byrne.” “Career politicians like Bradley Byrne are desperate to hang on to their paychecks and power and protect their place in the D.C. swamp,” Tuberville said. “Our new commercial shares some hard truths about Bradley Byrne’s fake news attacks, and it tells voters exactly where we stand in a no-nonsense, straight-forward style.” Tuberville faces former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, state Rep. Arnold Mooney, businessmanStanley Adair and Ruth Page Nelson in the crowded Republican primary on March 3, 2020. Watch Tuberville’s ad below:
