Pelican State News

Louisiana state Sen. Fred Mills, Jr. (R-District 22) is facing criticism for how he voted on a bill that would have banned minors from accessing puberty blockers, genital surgeries, and other sex-changing procedures.

Greg Price, communications director for the State Freedom Caucus Network, said Mills voted alongside Senate Democrats against the bill, which failed to advance in the Senate by a 5-4 vote.

"After passing the House, a bill in Louisiana that would have banned pediatric sex changes just failed in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee because 'Republican' state Senator Fred Mills voted with Democrats to kill it," Price wrote in a May 24 tweet. "One look at his donors shows massive contributions from big pharma, which gets rich off giving these drugs to children."

Mills, who serves as chairman of the state's Senate Health and Welfare Committee, defended how he voted, saying his decision was based on "science and data and not political or societal pressure," ABC News reported.

Louisiana Attorney General, Jeff Landry, has asked state lawmakers to bring the bill back and get it passed.

"As attorney general for 8 years I have worked hard to protect our children," Landry, who is running for governor, wrote in a May 26 tweet. "I urge the full Senate to take up and pass HB 648. As governor, I would immediately sign this bill into law. Pediatric sex changes should have no place in our society."

Under House Bill 648, healthcare professionals would be banned from "knowingly" engaging in treatments that would change a child's appearance to validate the perception of his or her sex at birth, which includes: hormone therapy, sterilization surgery, surgery to artificially produce the appearance of genitalia that is not consistent with the minor's sex, and other aesthetic surgical procedures such as facial femininization.

Mills previously held office as a Democrat, but switched to the Republican Party in 2011, according to Ballotpedia.

"Our estimates place the average cost of transition at $150,000 per person,” said Robbi Katherine Anthony, the founder of the application Solace, which provides resources to people who believe their gender identity differs from their biological sex, according to Genspect. “Multiply that by an estimated population of 1.4 million transgender people, we’re talking about a market in excess of $200 billion. That is significant. That’s larger than the entire film industry.”