New Laws Ban Minors from Marrying and Getting Sex Reassignment
New Hampshire enacts laws prohibiting minors from marriage and sex reassignment surgery, among other significant legislative changes.
New Hampshire, Minors, Marriage Ban, Sex Reassignment, Legislation
Concord: So, New Hampshire just kicked off the new year with some pretty big changes. Starting January 1, minors can no longer get married or undergo sex reassignment surgery. This is part of a larger set of laws that lawmakers passed and Governor Chris Sununu signed into effect.
In total, there were 381 bills that made the cut. One of the highlights is a new law that requires newborns to be screened for cytomegalovirus. Plus, there are new protections for sports officials against harassment during games.
Last spring, New Hampshire joined a handful of other states in banning marriage for anyone under 18. This was a big win for Rep. Cassandra Levesque, who had been pushing for this change for four years. The bill was authored by Sen. Debra Altschiller.
Before this, the legal marriage age was raised to 16, but there were still cases where 16- and 17-year-olds could marry with a judge’s approval. Now, that’s all off the table.
As for the sex reassignment surgery ban, it stirred up quite a bit of controversy. Many in the LGBTQ+ community and health organizations opposed it. Rep. Erica Layon argued that the ban was necessary due to potential risks, pointing out that 23 other states have similar laws.
Interestingly, even though minors can’t get this surgery, they still can’t use tanning beds until they turn 18. Layon emphasized that while she supports people being their true selves, she believes minors undergoing surgery isn’t fair to them or their parents.
Currently, no hospitals in New Hampshire perform these surgeries on minors or adults, so many transgender individuals are looking to other states for help.
The bill sparked a lot of debate, even causing some Democrats to receive threats over their votes. It passed with a close call of 199-175.
On another note, the new laws also include a mandate for newborn screening for cytomegalovirus, which was pushed by advocates after a tragic personal story. Plus, there are new rules to protect sports officials from harassment, allowing judges to ban offenders from games.
So, it looks like New Hampshire is starting the year with some significant changes that are sure to impact many lives.