Del. Candi King, (D) – House District 2 Stafford and Prince William (Facebook)
by James C. Sherlock
I note that House Bill No. 2091, with Patrons Munden-King, Clark, Hope, Maldonado, Rasoul and Simon does two things:
- It modifies Code of Virginia § 20-124.6. Access to minor’s records to permit health care providers to deny a minor patient’s records to parents if, in the provider’s judgment, providing those records would be “reasonably likely to deter the minor from seeking care.”
- It modifies Code of Virginia § 54.1-2969. Authority to consent to surgical and medical treatment of certain minors by adding:
“L. Any minor 16 years of age or older who is determined by a health care provider to be mature and capable of giving informed consent shall be deemed an adult for the purpose of giving consent to consultation, diagnosis, and treatment of a mental or emotional disorder by a health care provider or clinic.”
“Deemed by a health care provider.”
Going out on a limb, let’s take gender dysphoria as an example.
Gender Dysphoria is listed in the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—the DSM-5. If it was not in there, insurance would not pay for treatment.
The American Psychiatric Association writes:
The Gender Dysphoria diagnosis functions as a double-edged sword. It provides an avenue for treatment, making medical and surgical options available to TGNC people. However, it also has the potential to stigmatize TGNC people by categorizing them as mentally ill.
The ultimate goal would be to categorize TGNC treatment under an endocrine/medical diagnosis.
The “ultimate goal” has not been reached.
So, Democrats in the House of Delegates want parents excluded from medical records, diagnoses and treatments that, for random example only, support the gender transitions of 16-year-olds.
Democrats in the Senate have introduced no companion bill, at least not yet, perhaps knowing that HB 2091 has no chance in the House and thus they will not have to vote on it.
So HB 2091 is a signal.
Of what I will leave it to readers to assess.
