But not before the RINOs get a beatdown from the grassroots.
The South Carolina House of Representatives passed the “Help, Not Harm Bill” today.
This bill bans genital mutilation surgery (also known as transgender surgery), puberty blockers, and hormone therapy for anyone under the age of 18.
The bill also prohibits state funds from being used directly or indirectly for gender transitions.
Freedom Caucus member SC Rep. Stewart Jones (R-Laurens) filed a bill to ban these harmful procedures that cause irrevocable injury over a year ago. Sadly, liberal House leadership didn’t give the bill a hearing and sat on this important legislation while kids were being harmed for over 13 months.
But because of pressure from the Freedom Caucus, grassroots activists, and our allies in the Family Caucus, liberal leadership was forced to bring a bill to the floor. But instead of bringing Stewart’s bills up for a vote, House leadership decided to “copy and paste” and bring their own version to the floor.
Democrats filed a number of amendments intended to gut the bill. Luckily, all their amendments were killed.
However, Amendment #5 was on the verge of passing when frequent Freedom Caucus critic and leadership mouthpiece SC Rep. Micah Caskey (R-Lexington) joined with far-Left liberals in support of it. The amendment sought to extend the period of time in which minors could continue with puberty blockers and hormone therapy, thus allowing radical trans activists to coerce as many minors as possible to get on these drugs, perhaps indefinitely.
Freedom Caucus members were able to argue against the Democrats’ amendment and kill it despite RINO leader Caskey’s urging. Conveniently, Caskey left the Chamber when it was time to vote.
Freedom Caucus Members offered 4 amendments to strengthen the bill.
Amendment 7, offered by SC Rep. Jordan Pace (R-Berkeley), sought to provide civil penalties for healthcare professionals who violated state law and performed or abetted transgender surgery. The amendment set a minimum $5,000 fine and the suspension of the perpetrators medical license for 1 year.
Once again, Micah Caskey argued against the amendment. Several liberal Republicans joined with Democrats to kill the amendment.
Amendment 9, offered by SC Rep. Josiah Magnuson (R-Spartanburg), would place criminal penalties on a physician who performed a transgender surgery on a minor. Once again, Micah Caskey argued against the amendment saying this language was “unneeded.”
But this time he was joined by RINO SC Rep. Gil Gatch(R-Dorchester) who opposed any changes, laughably arguing that bills should not be amended on the floor.
Amendment 10, offered by SC Rep. Thomas Beach (R-Anderson), would have required school district to report to parents when their children were transitioning at school without their knowledge.
Shockingly, “Republican” Majority Leader Davey Hiott took the well, parroting leftist talking points, to argue against the amendment and advocated against parental notification about their child’s gender dysphoria.
Most “Republicans” joined with Hiott to kill the amendment.
Amendment 13, offered by Josiah Magnuson, was another attempt by Freedom Caucus members to provide for penalties for doctors who perform transgender surgeries on minors to rectify some of the faux objections raised by RINOs. Once again, it was killed by a coalition of Republicans and Democrats.
But then there was a breakthrough!
Riley Gaines, the former Kentucky University swimmer who was robbed of her NCAA Championship by a biological man pretending to be a woman, took to twitter to criticize the “Republicans” who voted against the Freedom Caucus amendments.
Then the flood gates opened and patriots from across the country brought the hammer down on the RINOs.
After voting against penalties, THREE TIMES, for medical “professionals” who harm our children, the RINO caucus quickly drafted an amendment to add criminal penalties! The amendment passed overwhelmingly.
This is the way. When real conservatives fight for conservative legislation, put votes on the record, make noise about it, and engage grassroots activists, weak RINOs are forced to act.
Thank you to Family Caucus Chairman John McCravy and the Alliance for Defending Freedom for all their hard work on this bill.
A giant thanks to patriot Riley Gaines who brought pressure and attention to this issue. Without her tweet, RINOs would have been content to pass a bill with little teeth.
This was step one. The bill is now on to the SC Senate. Contact your State Senator and tell them to pass this bill now! Children’s lives are on the line.
For Liberty!
SC Freedom Caucus
What we saw today was conservativism in action. Now, the same RINOs that wanted to gut this bill are gunning for Freedom Caucus members across SC. Join the fight against the establishment and donate now!
