SB 30: Hospitals and Related Institutions; hormone therapies and puberty-blocking medications for certain purposes to minors; prohibit prescribing or administering

Georgia law already restricts certain medical treatments for minors related to gender dysphoria. This bill rewrites those rules in the hospital licensing code (O.C.G.A. § 31-7-3.5) and the Georgia Composite Medical Board code (O.C.G.A. § 43-34-15). It adds detailed definitions of hormone therapy, puberty-blocking medication, sex, and sex reassignment surgery, and it bans surgeries and hormone therapies aimed at altering a minor's sex characteristics to match a gender identity different from their sex. Puberty-blocking medications would remain banned for that purpose unless several conditions are met: two independent diagnoses of gender dysphoria, a board-certified prescribing physician who completes a full health assessment, written consent from all parents or legal guardians (or a court order if they disagree), an annual report to the medical board, and quarterly counseling for the minor. The bill also creates a two-year window for parents or guardians to sue institutions or physicians who violate the law, while protecting providers who follow the listed conditions from liability. It keeps existing exceptions for intersex conditions and continuing treatment already underway before set dates.

• Bans sex reassignment surgeries and hormone therapies for minors when performed to align a minor's appearance with a gender identity that differs from their sex.
• Allows puberty-blocking medications only if a minor gets two independent gender dysphoria diagnoses, a specially certified prescribing doctor, parental consent or a court order, annual reporting, and quarterly counseling.
• Adds detailed legal definitions for hormone therapy, puberty-blocking medication, sex, and sex reassignment surgery to both the hospital licensing law and the medical board law.
• Creates a two-year civil lawsuit window letting a minor's parent or guardian sue a hospital or physician who violates these rules.
• Shields hospitals and physicians from civil liability if they follow all the listed conditions when prescribing puberty blockers.
• Keeps existing exceptions for intersex conditions, medically necessary treatment for other conditions, and minors already receiving hormone therapy before July 1, 2023 or puberty blockers before July 1, 2025.

Transgender minors in Georgia seeking hormone therapy, puberty blockers, or related surgeries; their parents and legal guardians; physicians and hospitals licensed by the state, including those certified in pediatric endocrinology or adolescent medicine; and the Georgia Composite Medical Board, which oversees physician discipline.

Families and doctors navigating gender-related care for minors would face a stricter, more detailed legal process, with puberty blockers allowed only under specific medical and parental-consent conditions. Hospitals and physicians who don't follow those steps could face lawsuits from parents or guardians within two years of a violation.

• Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 31-7-3.5 to define hormone therapy, puberty-blocking medication, sex, and sex reassignment surgery for purposes of hospital licensing rules.
• Section 1 bans covered surgeries and hormone therapies in licensed institutions unless an exception applies, and allows puberty blockers only if five specific conditions in subparagraphs (b)(3)(A) through (E) are met.
• Section 1 creates a two-year civil action for a minor's parent or guardian against an institution that violates the section, with an exemption for institutions that follow the puberty-blocker conditions.
• Section 2 makes parallel changes to O.C.G.A. § 43-34-15, the Georgia Composite Medical Board's rules, applying the same ban, exceptions, and puberty-blocker conditions to individual physicians statewide.
• Section 2 keeps exceptions for medically necessary treatment unrelated to gender dysphoria, disorders of sex development, partial androgen insensitivity syndrome, and minors already in treatment before set 2023 and 2025 dates.
• Section 2 makes physicians who violate the section administratively accountable to the medical board and creates a matching two-year civil action against physicians.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting Georgia laws.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-03-27House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-03-06House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2025-03-04House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2025-03-03Senate Passed/Adopted (Senado)
6. 2025-03-03Senate Third Read (Senado)
7. 2025-02-18Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
8. 2025-02-13Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)

• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)Patrocinador principal
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Colton Moore (R, SD-053)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)

1. RechazadaVotación: Senado3 de marzo de 2025

   20 a favor, 34 en contra (2 sin votar, 0 ausentes)

   Adoption Of Amendment #1 By The Senator From The 44th: Senate Vote #119

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado3 de marzo de 2025

   34 a favor, 19 en contra (3 sin votar, 0 ausentes)

   Passage: Senate Vote #120

• transgender health care
• minors and medical consent
• hormone therapy restrictions
• medical board regulation
• gender dysphoria treatment