Senate Bill 442 mandates that foster or adoptive parents cannot be subject to child abuse petitions solely for "raising a juvenile consistent with the juvenile's biological sex."
The bill also bans adoption agencies from disqualifying potential adoptive parents based on their refusal to support a child's gender transition, stating the act of raising a child as their gender at birth – including using incorrect pronouns and making "mental health or medical decisions" based on biological sex – did not constitute "violence, abuse, neglect or danger."
Republican Rep. Donnie Loftis of Gastonia, who introduced the House's version of the bill at a committee meeting on April 29, said that the state's shortage of foster parents compelled him to sponsor the legislation.
"I don’t want [opposition to gender transition] to be used as a pre-qualifier that says, ‘Oh, you’re one of those. You are not going to be getting a child because you can’t accept that,’" he said.
But Democratic legislators, like New Hanover County's Rep. Deb Butler, said the legislation endangers an already vulnerable population.
"To not place a child who has expressed gender identity issues or concerns — to place them into a home with the knowledge that that family is not supportive or thoughtful about that issue is doing further damage to that child, " she said during a House committee meeting.
The Parents Protection Act is one of several Republican-sponsored bills aimed at curtailing transgender rights in North Carolina. Legislators are currently considering HB 805, which would introduce a bevy of anti-trans measures, including recognizing only two sexes, expanding legal options for detransitioners hoping to sue trans health care providers, and prohibiting the usage of state funds towards prisoners' gender transitions.
The bill now goes to Governor Josh Stein, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law.
