SB5 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Shay ShelnuttSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Public health, prohibits medical procedures on minor children intended to alter apprearance of gender with exceptions, provides for certain disclosures by school officials, establishes criminal penalties

Summary

SB5 would ban puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and gender-affirming surgeries for minors, require schools to disclose parental information about a student’s gender issues, and impose criminal penalties for violations.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the bill would prohibit medical procedures or prescriptions for minors intended to alter gender appearance or delay puberty, with limited exceptions. It would require schools to disclose certain information about a student's gender-related perceptions to parents and bar staff from withholding such information. Violations would carry criminal penalties, including a Class C felony. The act would be titled the Alabama Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act (V-CAP) and would take effect 30 days after the governor signs it.

Who It Affects

• Minors who might seek puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or gender-affirming surgeries, and their families, by restricting those treatments and related care.
• School staff, schools, and parents, since schools would disclose information about a student's gender perception to parents and staff could face penalties for not complying.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits prescribing, dispensing, or administering puberty-blocking medications to stop or delay puberty, supraphysiologic doses of testosterone or estrogen for minors, and surgeries that sterilize or create genitalia different from the minor's biological sex, with limited exceptions for medically verifiable disorders of sex development.
• Establishes that violations are Class C felonies.
• Requires school staff and administrators to disclose information related to a minor's gender perception to the minor's parent or guardian and prohibits encouraging or coercing the minor to withhold that information.
• Creates the Alabama Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act (V-CAP), defines key terms (minor, person, sex), and sets the act to take effect 30 days after the governor's signature, noting interplay with constitutional provisions on local funding.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Public Health Department