H.B. 786 Summary

• Prohibits medical professionals from prescribing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and performing gender-affirming surgeries (including mastectomies and genital reconstruction) on minors, with violations subject to license revocation for minimum one year and civil penalties up to $1,000 per occurrence.

• Exempts intersex conditions with medically verifiable disorders of sexual development, treatment of infections caused by prohibited procedures, and emergency medical procedures to prevent imminent danger of death or major bodily function impairment.

• Prevents state funds from being used directly or indirectly for gender transition procedures or governmental health plans offering such procedures to minors.

• Requires manufacturers of smartphones and tablets sold in North Carolina to automatically enable obscenity filters blocking access to material obscene to minors when devices are activated, with civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation and liquidated damages of $10,000 for injured parties.

• Effective date: October 1, 2023 for gender-related provisions and January 1, 2024 for electronic device obscenity filter requirements.