OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Kevin West, R-Oklahoma City, today expressed his support for special session legislation restricting improper gender reassignment medical treatment at OU Children's Hospital and predicted a statewide restriction will be considered in regular session. 

In a special session later this week to consider pandemic relief funding bills, OU Children's Hospital could receive an additional $39.4 million appropriation via HB1007 to improve its ability to help Oklahoma children by increasing long-term inpatient capacity for children in mental health crisis. HB1007 limits the University Hospital Authority Trust, which oversees OU Children's Hospital, from receiving the funds if ""gender reassignment medical treatment"" services are being performed within its medical system. 

""I'm thankful for language in this bill that protects children from the practice of mutilation through gender reassignment medical treatment,"" said West. ""This unbelievably harmful practice cannot be reversed, and has lasting physical and psychological consequences that can damage these children for the rest of their lives.""

The Second Extraordinary Session of the 58th Oklahoma Legislature was called for the purpose of considering American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other funding advanced by the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding. West said that the limited scope of the special session will not allow for legislation to prohibit the performance of ""gender reassignment medical treatment"" statewide, but he expects legislation to be filed quickly when legislators return for the beginning of the 59th Legislature in January. 

""Due to the call of the special session, this is as much as the Legislature can currently do to address this topic,"" said West. ""However, I know many legislators are ready to support legislation that will prohibit the practice statewide once we get back in regular session, myself being one of them. Passing this legislation now will provide protections for children, and we can further expand those protections when we come back in the spring. The radical Left may be making a national push to try and allow the mutilation of our children to become mainstream, but here in Oklahoma we have to stand up for our kids and say enough is enough.""