Alabama Senate passes bill banning transgender treatment to minors

The Alabama state Senate has passed a bill aimed to ban transgender medical treatment for minors.

The Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act passed in the upper chamber 23-4 and returns to the Alabama House for another vote.

Provisions of the bill include the banning of transgender treatment surgeries and puberty blockers and other medications that tamper with hormones for those under 19.

"Science shows that children that are going through this gender dysphoria, most of them mature or grow out of this stage," Republican state Sen. Shay Shelnutt" said while addressing the bill. "So why is (this bill) needed? It's just to stop these surgeries and these drugs on our children. It's to protect our children. That's my simple explanation."

This bill comes as one of many anti-transgender bills put forward by several states recently.

In February, the Nebraska House put forward a bill that would ban transgender athletes from switching teams that match their gender identity. Mississippi also proposed a similar bill on the same day as Nebraska.