Tennessee bill passes saying parents must give consent before children can be taken out of state for sex changes

On Thursday, Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill that would criminalize adults who help minors seek sex change procedures without parental consent. 

This comes after Tennessee voted to ban sex change procedures for minors earlier this year. 

SB 2782, which was passed in the House on a 63-16 vote. It was sponsored by state Senator Janice Bowling and would make it a felony offense for an adult to recruit, harbor, or transport an unemancipated minor within the state of Tennessee for the purpose of receiving a prohibited medical procedure that would alter the minor's biological sex or affirm a minor's gender identity. 

The law does not apply to a parent or legal guardian of the minor or an adult who received permission from the minor's legal parent or guardian, according to the bill. 

An adult who breaks the law will be charged with a class C felony, which carries a prison sentence between 3 to 15 years and fines up to $10,000. 

The bill states that a person who violates the law can be held liable in a civil action lawsuit. 

The civil action may be brought by a parent or legal guardian of the unemancipated minor, in which the plaintiff may recover compensatory damages, punitive damages, and reasonable legal fees, court costs, and expenses, the bill reads. 

This comes after the Tennessee Senate introduced an amendment to HB 2310, which overwhelmingly passed in the GOP-controlled state legislature. 

The bill is now headed to Republican Gov. Bill Lee's desk to be signed into law. 

Tennessee voted to ban sex change procedures for minors in February, in addition to prohibiting drag performances from operating within 1,000 feet of public parks or places of worship and school.