A bill that would make it a crime for doctors to prescribe opposite sex hormones or drugs that delay puberty to minors who identify as transgender won approval this morning in two Alabama legislative committees.

The bill, sponsored by Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate, has drawn support and opposition from advocacy groups.

Rep. Wes Allen of Troy and Sen. Shay Shelnutt of Trussville are the sponsors of the bill, called the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act.

The Alabama House Health Committee approved Allen’s bill this morning after 10 people spoke at a public hearing on the measure, five in favor and five against. They included medical professionals on both sides and people with first-hand experiences on both sides. The committee approval moves the bill in line for consideration by the full House.

Several Democratic lawmakers on the committee opposed the bill, which was approved on a voice vote.

The Senate Health Committee followed with a public hearing on Shelnutt’s bill that included some of the same speakers and some different speakers. Both hearings drew overflow crowds. The Senate Health Committee approved Shelnutt’s bill on a 10-1 vote, sending it to the full Senate.

A public hearing on a bill to prohibit hormone and puberty blocking treatment for minors who identify as transgender. It’s in the Alabama House Health Committee. A line of people signed up to speak. Standing room only. Posted by al.com on Wednesday, February 26, 2020

In announcing his bill last week, Allen said children with gender dysphoria should receive mental health counseling but not medications or surgeries that cause physical changes. Under his legislation, doctors could be charged with a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison for prescribing puberty-blockers or hormones to anyone under 19. Surgeries on minors to change their bodies to align with their gender identities would be prohibited. The bill prohibits teachers, principals, and school counselors from withholding from parents information that a student identifies as transgender.

The Human Rights Campaign, which advocates for people who identify as LGBTQ, opposes the legislation and said it promotes an uninformed and discriminatory view.

“This bill is a license to discriminate against transgender and non-binary Alabamians,” Human Rights Campaign Alabama State Director Carmarion D. Anderson said in a statement. “Anti-trans legislators in Alabama are once again targeting transgender and non-binary youth, spreading misinformation and using vicious, harmful rhetoric to advance an extremist agenda."

The Eagle Forum of Alabama, a conservative advocacy group, said the legislation is needed to protect children against what it says are misguided medical practices.

“We support this bill because it protects vulnerable children who are suffering from gender dysphoria from irreversible medical procedures that will alter their bodies for life," Eagle Forum President Eunie Smith said in a press release.

Becky Gerritson, executive director of the Eagle Forum, said the legislation is necessary for many reasons, including the uncertainty about the long-term effects of puberty-blockers and cross-sex hormones.

The Yellowhammer Fund, a non-profit that helps low-income women who are seeking abortions in Alabama with transportation and other services, issued a statement from policy director Mia Raven opposing the bill.

“Once again the party of ‘parental rights’ wants to hypocritically rip those same rights from families that aren’t adhering to their traditional beliefs of gender and sexuality,” Raven said.

The bill is the second on transgender issues to draw attention in the State House this year.

Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, is sponsoring a bill that would prohibit public schools from allowing participation by students on sports teams that do not match the gender on their birth certificates. It has won approval in a House committee. Pringle says his goal is to protect girls from having to compete against athletes who have an advantage because of male anatomy and testosterone.

Opponents, including the Human Rights Campaign, have said the bill is discriminatory and is a solution in search of a problem.

Justin Vest of Shelby County testified against a bill that would block certain medical treatments for minors who consider themselves transgender. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)

This story will be updated.