Kemp signs bill denying state funding for gender-affirming care for prison inmates

Gov Brian Kemp signed controversial provision May denying the use of state funds for sex reassignment surgery hormone replacement surgeries and other gender-affirming care sought by Georgia prison inmates Georgia House Democrats walked out of the chamber in protest when the Republican-controlled General Assembly gave final passage to Senate Bill early last month on the next-to-last day of this year s legislative session Only two Democrats remained in their seats to vote no on the bill which had cleared the state Senate in early March largely along party lines Republicans held out the bill as a fiscally responsible step amid widespread citizens opposition to spending tax dollars on such procedures for Georgians in the state s custody Supporters also pointed to exceptions in the bill that will allow the state Department of Corrections to pay for medically necessary treatments including for those inmates born with chromosomal abnormalities resulting in ambiguity regarding their biological sex Democrats argued the rule is a mean-spirited attack by the GOP affecting Georgia s tiny transgender locality at a time lawmakers should have been addressing more fundamental priorities including learning strength care and constituents safety Opponents noted that only five state inmates have questioned for such vitality care Kemp signed the bill during a trip to the Georgia Population Safety Training Center in Forsyth He also signed several other measures related to constituents safety including ordinance granting the Georgia Bureau of Study subpoena power in inspecting cyber crimes and doubling the indemnification benefit for residents school employees killed in the line of duty from to Kemp traveled to the Georgia Forestry Association offices in Forsyth later Thursday to sign ordinance aimed at helping Georgia farmers and timber producers who suffered losses from Hurricane Helene House Bill exempts federal crop loss payments and accident payments from the state income tax establishes a reforestation tax credit to help timber producers recover from the storm allows local governments to temporarily suspend their collection of the harvest tax on timber producers to assist them in cleanup efforts and provides a temporary addition to the state sales tax exemption on purchases of building materials to repair and rebuild poultry houses livestock facilities greenhouses and other agricultural structures Our farmers and foresters are tough people Kemp declared Their commitment to moving forward after all they ve faced is an inspiration to us all The post Kemp signs bill denying state funding for gender-affirming care for prison inmates appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta