This letter is by Carol Kauffman, president of the Vermont Family Alliance.

Dear Governor Scott,

Chair Houghton of the House Committee on Health Care made the following comment after two testimonies from Vermont Family Alliance members regarding S37: “I think it solidifies our stated goal with article 22. That reproductive health should be between, now gender-affirming care, should be between a doctor and the patient and parents when appropriate for age, so I think it’s best we leave it here.”

H.89 and S.37 go far beyond protecting the doctor, the patient, and the parents “when appropriate.”

If you sign H.89 and S.37, Vermont will protect “any person” in any “act or omission” regarding any minor without the direct care of their parents. H.89 and S.37 will shield a gender-affirming system that will leave minors in harm’s way. At a legislative breakfast, a house representative said it would cover an Uber driver. Senator Sears said he paid for an abortion and would want to be protected.

In H.89 and S.37, “(b)(1) ‘Legally protected health care activity’ means: (B) any act or omission undertaken to aid or encourage, or attempt to aid or encourage, any person in the exercise and enjoyment, or attempted exercise and enjoyment, of rights to reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services secured by this State or to provide insurance coverage for such services.”

Gov. Scott, we don’t live in a safe world. Minors must have court oversight as required when the state steps in, such as the Agency of Family Services. Please veto H.89 and S.37 and at least force a public debate on the state’s reproductive initiative, beyond abortion, regarding minors, and bring attention to the reality that the state of Vermont is putting children residing inside and outside of Vermont in harm’s way and protecting unlimited unknown entities.

Carol Kauffman
Vermont Family Alliance