ND representative falsely claims health care providers transition as many kids as possible for profit

North Dakota State Rep. Bill Tveit (R-Hazen) is sponsoring a questionable bill that makes it a felony for doctors to aid in a minor’s transition because he believes health care providers are trying to transition as many kids as possible for a profit.

“This bill is concerned about our ‘trusted’ health care systems seeing dollar signs, seeing an opportunity to cash in on this fad, if I may use that term, and maybe cash in again when realization sets in and these young, vulnerable victims have hopes for and seek gruesome, nearly impossible reversible procedures,” Tveit said Wednesday when discussing the bill.

ND State Rep. Bill Tveit (R) falsely claims health care providers are trying to transition as many kids as possible for profit:

“[They’re] seeing dollar signs, seeing an opportunity to cash in on this fad… Maybe cash in again… when these victims… seek reversal procedures.” pic.twitter.com/27wmjvzVLf

— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) March 16, 2023

He then demeaned Sanford Health, a health care provider based in Sioux Falls, for endorsing gender-affirming care and using guidelines from the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH). He followed that by falsely accusing WPATH of “preying on our youth who seek to circumvent parental authority if needed and medically transition as many children as possible.”

House Bill 1254 is being described as anti-transgender since it prohibits procedures that supposedly aid in the mental health of trans youth. One of North Dakota’s leading pediatric endocrinology specialists, Dr. Luis Casas, testified against the bill and argued against it one of the claims that it protects children.

“I have heard by oral and written testimony by many favoring this bill that this bill is intended to ‘protect our children,’” Casas wrote. “Once again, we are not treating being transgender, we are treating the mental health disorder of gender dysphoria that increases risk for self-harm and death through suicide.”

Testimony was heard in the Senate Human Services committee, and no further action has been made on HB 1254.