Florida doctors, school counselors, or psychologists could face third-degree felony charges and $100,000 in fines if they advise minors to undergo transgender therapies under a bill that cleared its first committee Tuesday.
Passing with just one “no” vote, SB 1010 would punish providers who “aid and abet” minors in receiving transitioning procedures and empower the attorney general to investigate alleged violations. The bill would expand a 2023 law that outlawed any surgeries, medications, or other procedures allowing children to transition their genders.
“The intent of this bill is to continue to protect the children of Florida and hold bad actors accountable,” bill sponsor Sen. Clay Yarborough, a Jacksonville Republican, said before the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs. Yarborough had carried the 2023 law.
The political discussion surrounding medical care for transgender Americans has dominated culture issues nationwide. Arkansas was the first state to ban minors from accessing gender therapies in 2021, precipitating a trend that spread to other red states like Alabama and Florida.
And while Florida wasn’t first on that legislation, Gov. Ron DeSantis, in advance of his 2024 presidential bid, led the nation in carving out “anti-woke” policies and culture war crusades. This included a ban on transwoman athletes competing in women’s sports, elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education, and outlawing discussions of sexual identity in K-8 classrooms.
These cultural issues largely tapered off after the governor dropped out of the presidential race and amid an increasingly rebellious Republican Legislature, which somewhat slipped out of DeSantis’ grasp during the 2025 legislative session.
But that doesn’t mean all social issues are gone from the Legislature.
‘Great deal of concern’
Under the bill, a health care practitioner who “aids or abets” another in prescribing or assisting a minor in sex-reassignment procedures commits a third-degree felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison. Additionally, the attorney general could investigate and seek up to $100,000 per violation from offenders. That money would go to the child who received treatment.
The bill provides for a private cause of action against a state or local government employee who violates Florida’s “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” which guarantees parents the right to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health care of their children. Similarly, the AG could seek civil penalties up to $100,000 per violation to be paid to the minor.
Although Yarborough emphasized that his measure attempts to create greater enforcement actions and to close loopholes in the 2023 law, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers raised concerns that the bill may be too broad, and could result in punishing teachers for simply having a discussion with a child considering confirming his or her gender identity.
“I hope we can clarify that … a simple conversation, coming to someone with a problem asking for help, does not move to the level that you wind up liable for advising a student,” said Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell of Stuart. She ultimately voted for the bill, but cautioned that doesn’t mean she’ll continue to do so.
“I will work with you, but I have a great deal of concern with it,” she added.
SB 1010 would expand upon the 2023 law, which allows for third-degree felony charges against a doctor who prescribes gender transitioning medications or performs transitioning surgeries on a minor.
Florida was one of a handful of states that faced constitutional challenges to laws like this, and initially had its enforcement paused because of federal trial court rulings.
However, a federal appeals court stayed the lower courts’ injunctions. In a similar vein, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapy for treatment of gender dysphoria to minors.
The House version of the bill also passed its first committee Tuesday in a party-line vote. Both bills have two more committee stops before a floor vote.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Contact Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
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