Plain Language Summary
# No Harm Act (HR 2387) Summary **What the Bill Would Do** If passed, the No Harm Act would prohibit the use of federal funding for gender-affirming medical treatments in minors. The bill would prevent federal money from supporting these procedures, institutions that provide them, or schools that allow staff to provide them without parental consent. It would also allow patients or families to sue for damages if they believe they've been harmed by such treatments, and it establishes potential criminal penalties for certain procedures.
The bill protects healthcare providers who refuse to perform these treatments from being discriminated against or penalized. **Who It Affects** The bill primarily affects minors seeking gender-affirming medical care, their families, healthcare providers and institutions offering these treatments, schools, and federal funding streams. It would apply to any federally-funded programs or institutions involved in providing these treatments. **Current Status** The bill is currently in committee (as of the 119th Congress) and has not yet been brought to a full vote in the House of Representatives. This means it remains in the early stages of the legislative process and has not become law.
CRS Official Summary
No Harm ActThis bill prohibits federal funding for sex-trait altering treatment for minors, authorizes civil actions for harm caused by such procedures, and subjects certain procedures to potential criminal penalties. The bill defines sex-trait altering treatment as generally meaning medical treatment altering the physical or physiological characteristics of an individual’s biological sex (except for treating sexual development disorders, severe injuries, or injuries caused by sex-trait altering treatments).The bill prohibits federal funds forsupporting sex-trait altering treatment for minors,government regulatory action promoting such treatment,medical institutions providing such treatment, andelementary or secondary schools allowing school personnel to provide or support such treatment without parental consent. The bill prohibits discrimination against, or penalization of, providers who decline to perform such treatment. Additionally, parents of a minor have a right to decline such treatment for the minor. States that require providers to furnish such treatment, or that do not require parental consent, may not receive certain federal funds.The bill establishes a private right of action against health care providers for harm caused by such treatment or for not obtaining parental consent. It also generally establishes a private right of action against individuals or entities that violate the bill's other provisions.Finally, the bill makes changes to the existing federal criminal prohibition on performing female genital mutilation on a minor. The bill specifies that the performance of sex-altering surgery on a minor is not considered medically necessary and thus may be subject to the applicable criminal penalties.
Latest Action
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Education and Workforce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.