Oppose SB1015: Harmful Liability Bill Targeting Gender-Affirming Care

I urge you to oppose SB1015 when it comes before the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee on Wednesday. This bill is an exact copy of legislation vetoed last year and would create unprecedented liability for healthcare providers offering gender-affirming care to minors by forcing them to pay medical costs for any "gender detransition" within 25 years of treatment. The bill enables civil lawsuits against providers for damages including medical costs, pain and suffering, and loss of income. Critically, SB1015 fails to define "gender transition," creating legal ambiguity that would expose providers to frivolous lawsuits and discourage them from offering medically necessary care. This is not about protecting minors but about using fear of liability to prevent transgender youth from accessing the same types of healthcare that cisgender youth routinely receive without controversy. Senator Shamp has based similar legislation on her belief that "political ideology" drives gender-affirming care, but this ignores established medical standards. Major medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society support evidence-based, individualized gender-affirming care for adolescents. The bill's 25-year liability window is unprecedented in medical malpractice law and would single out one category of care for punitive treatment. This approach has already been rejected. The Governor vetoed nearly identical legislation in 2024, recognizing it as government overreach into the doctor-patient relationship. Reviving this failed bill wastes legislative time while threatening to drive qualified providers out of Arizona and forcing families to seek care out of state. Healthcare decisions should be made by patients, families, and their doctors based on medical evidence, not legislative harassment designed to eliminate access to care through intimidation. I ask you to vote no on SB1015 and focus instead on policies that expand healthcare access for all Arizonans.