The bill introduces a prohibition on genital gender reassignment surgery for minors under the age of 18 in the state of New Hampshire. It establishes that such surgeries can only be performed on individuals who have reached the age of majority, citing the lack of high-quality clinical trials and data on outcomes for adolescent genital gender reassignment surgeries, especially after pubertal suppression and cross-sex hormones. The bill defines terms such as "ambiguous genitalia," "disorders of sex development," "genital gender reassignment surgery," and differentiates between reconstructive surgeries and those intended for gender reassignment. It also specifies that the prohibition does not apply to surgeries performed to correct malformations, malignancies, injuries, or physical diseases, nor does it prohibit male circumcision.

The bill outlines enforcement measures, stating that any referral for or provision of genital gender reassignment surgery to minors is considered unprofessional conduct and is subject to discipline. It allows for legal action to be taken by minors or their parents against violators, with a statute of limitations set at 2 years after the cause of action accrues, or up to 20 years after reaching the age of majority for individuals who were minors at the time of the surgery. The bill also includes provisions for the recovery of reasonable attorneys’ fees for prevailing parties in such actions and grants the attorney general authority to enforce compliance. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2025, and includes a severability clause to ensure the continuation of the remaining portions of the chapter if any part is declared invalid.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 332-L:1