Protect Children’s Innocence Act

Criminal penalties for specific procedures: The bill establishes fines and potential imprisonment of up to 10 years for those who knowingly perform, attempt to perform, or facilitate genital or bodily mutilation or chemical castration on a minor (Section 2(a) and 2(b)).

Protection for victims from prosecution: The Act stipulates that individuals who have undergone these procedures cannot be arrested or prosecuted for an offense under this section (Section 2(f)).

Medical exceptions for health and safety: The bill provides exceptions where the procedures are considered necessary for the health of a minor and are performed by a licensed medical practitioner (Section 2(g)(1)(A)).

Exemptions for specific medical conditions: The law allows for these procedures in cases involving individuals with specific biological conditions, such as those with both ovarian and testicular tissue or those experiencing infection or injury caused by previous procedures (Section 2(g)(2)).

Restrictions on gender-affirming procedures: The bill defines "genital or bodily mutilation" to include various surgeries intended to change a body to correspond to a different sex, such as mastectomies, hysterectomies, or various reconstructive surgeries (Section 2(h)(1)(B)).

Restrictions on chemical treatments: The bill classifies the administration of certain medications, such as puberty-blocking drugs or supraphysiologic doses of hormones, as "chemical castration" when used for the purposes described in the act (Section 2(h)(2)).

Limited scope of medical necessity: The bill specifies that for the purpose of a medical exception, the "health of a minor" does not include mental, behavioral, or emotional distress or disorders (Section 2(g)(1)(B)).

Removal of religious and traditional defenses: The Act states that it is not a defense to claim that female genital mutilation is required due to religion, custom, tradition, ritual, or standard practice (Section 2(e)).