State lawmakers return to Columbia this week for the second half of the 2023-2024 legislative session. Bills that were active when the General Assembly adjourned in June are still active today, and a few others were introduced this winter during pre-filing. Let's get into it.
Trans healthcare ban
Despite the very real problems facing South Carolinians, anti-LGBTQ lawmakers have decided to prioritize the same goal they had last year: Making life difficult for transgender youth and their families. On the afternoon of Tuesday, January 9 — the first day of session — a House subcommittee will hold a hearing on H. 4624, banning medically necessary healthcare for transgender South Carolinians under age 18. If passed, this bill would prohibit puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and other forms of gender-affirming care, regardless of the wishes of trans folks, their parents, or their medical providers. (As a reminder, gender-related healthcare for children always requires parental support, and gender affirmation surgeries aren’t performed on people under 18.)
Unfortunately, the deadline has already passed to submit written testimony on this bill, but you can still email members of the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee urging them to vote no on H. 4624. You can also attend the subcommittee hearing Tuesday afternoon; our partners at S.C. United for Justice & Equality have the details here.
Classroom censorship
A teacher gag order, H. 3728, is still up for debate after failing to pass in 2023. Meanwhile, Moms for Liberty and the broader pro-censorship movement are trying to impose their will on educators via another avenue: The State Board of Education.
A proposed “Uniform Procedure for Selection or Reconsideration of Instructional Materials" received a first reading from the State Board on Nov. 14. The policy would ban books from schools if they include “descriptions or visual depictions of ‘sexual conduct’” or if they include content that “could not be portrayed or read aloud on broadcast television or radio during daytime hours.” It's an incredibly broad censorship policy, echoing a similar policy in Iowa that has already resulted in the removal of classics such as The Color Purple, Native Son, and 1984.
The State Board of Education will meet on Tuesday, January 9 at 1 p.m. in the Rutledge Building (1429 Senate St., Columbia). You can also submit public input on the censorship proposal until January 22 by emailing sclreg@ed.sc.gov or by using this contact form on our website.
Day of Action
We have a long year ahead of us. To kick things off on a positive note, we will be joining SC United for Justice & Equality on Wednesday, January 10 for a Legislative Kick-Off Day of Action. Join us at the State House to stand in solidarity against attacks on transgender youth, LGBTQ+ equality, truthful school curriculum, and reproductive healthcare. RSVP here for more information.
