The Protect Children's Innocence Act would make it a federal crime to provide gender-affirming medical care to minors under age 18, with penalties of up to 12 years in prison and fines. The bill defines gender-affirming care broadly to include surgeries, facial feminization or masculinization procedures, implants, and medications like puberty blockers and hormone therapy, though it includes narrow exceptions for certain intersex conditions and life-threatening medical emergencies. The legislation would also prohibit federal funding for gender-affirming care through Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally-funded health programs, and bar institutions of higher education from offering instruction in these procedures or lose federal aid. Additionally, the bill would make performing such care on minors grounds for immigration-related visa denial and deportation. The bill allows individuals and states to purchase separate coverage for gender-affirming care using non-federal funds, and allows treatment of complications from prior gender transition procedures regardless of funding source.
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