Idaho law ensures public funds do not promote dangerous, life-altering procedures
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Matt Sharp, director of the ADF Center for Public Policy, regarding Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s signing Wednesday of HB 668, a bill that protects taxpayer dollars from being spent on dangerous, life-altering procedures for individuals seeking to deny biological truth by altering their bodies to match their gender identity:
“There are only two sexes—male and female—and public funds shouldn’t be used to deny this basic truth. Now and always, our loved ones deserve the loving embrace of family members who guide them toward this reality, along with access to safe and effective counseling. People should not be subjected to harmful—often irreversible—drugs and surgeries that block healthy development, alter hormonal balances, and remove healthy organs and body parts. This radical agenda has devastated countless lives, which is why some countries—including Sweden, England, and Finland—have changed course. Idaho, through the leadership of sponsors Rep. Julianne Young, Rep. Bruce Skaug and Sen. Ben Toews and with the support of the Legislature and Gov. Little, now rightly joins a growing number of states that have enacted similar protections from these experimental procedures and bad science.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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ABOUT Matt Sharp
Matt Sharp serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is the director of the Center for Public Policy. In this role, he leads ADF's team of policy experts as they craft legislation and advise government officials on policies that promote free speech, religious freedom, parental rights, and the sanctity of human life. Since joining ADF in 2010, Sharp has authored federal and state legislation, regularly provides testimony and legal analysis on how proposed legislation will impact constitutional freedoms, and advises governors, legislators, and state and national policy organizations on the importance of laws and policies that protect First Amendment rights. He has twice testified before the U.S. Congress on the importance of protecting free speech and religious liberty in federal law. Sharp also authored an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of nearly 9,000 students, parents, and community members asking the court to uphold students’ right to privacy against government intrusion. Sharp earned his J.D. in 2006 from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. A member of the bar in Georgia and Tennessee, he is also admitted to practice in several federal courts.