Chloe Cole Act

Key Points

• The bill would ban doctors, hospitals, and clinics from providing gender-affirming medical care to anyone under 18 nationwide. This covers puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgical procedures intended to change a child's body to match their gender identity.
• People who received these treatments as minors, or their parents, could sue the providers in federal court. They could seek money for costs of reversing treatments, emotional distress, and even punitive damages if providers acted recklessly or intentionally.
• The lawsuit window is extremely long. A person could file a case up to 25 years after turning 18, or within 4 years of starting detransition treatment, whichever comes later. And lawsuits can cover treatments that happened before the bill was even passed.
• The bill carves out exceptions for treating verified disorders of sexual development, congenital anomalies, traumatic injuries, acute illnesses, and detransition care. However, providers must prove these exceptions apply using a "clear and convincing evidence" standard.
• The bill defines "participation" very broadly, covering anyone who prescribes, administers, performs, authorizes, or plans these treatments. This means not just surgeons but also prescribing doctors, supervising professionals, and hospital administrators could face liability.
• Providers face strict liability after the bill takes effect, meaning patients would not need to prove the provider was careless or negligent. The bill also says any unclear language should be interpreted against the provider, further tilting the legal balance.