Dozens of parents, transgender youth and health professionals showed up to the 12-hour hearing to voice their opposition to proposed rules under the “Let Them Grow Act.” It’s part of Nebraska’s new law that bans transition-related surgeries for minors and also directs Nebraska’s chief medical officer to regulate non-surgical care.”These guidelines are simply outrageous. And take away many parental rights,” said Wendy Smith, who is a mother of two transgender children.The proposed rules include that children must live in their preferred gender for at least six months, complete 40 hours of therapy from a non-biased practitioner. “It’s clear that these rules are not about safety or children’s well-being. They’re about exclusion,” Isabella Manhart said. She said her brother is transgender.”Trans-kids seeking gender-affirming care are just trying to grow up authentically beside their peers. And things are hard enough without arbitrary and burdensome requirements getting in the way,” Manhart said.Some testified the 40-hour therapy requirement is essentially a ban for many low-income families or those who live in rural areas.”Financially 40 hours of therapy would cost us $5,224,” said Lori Ashmore, who has a trans son.Tiffany Weiss said many times that the cost is not covered by insurance. And finding therapists is difficult.”Having 40 hours or two years of therapy may make them miss the window, but the blockers are actually effective,” Weiss said.Several medical professionals testified the requirement that injections be done in the office is unworkable and unwarranted.”Some of my patients come from western Nebraska or other rural communities, thus making weekly injections in the clinic inaccessible,” said Amy Arndt.Arndt is a nurse practitioner and co-owner of a Lincoln health clinic. Dr. Alex Dworak of One World Community Health in Omaha said it appears parents with trans children are treated differently for the same type of care.”Imagine having to go into a doctor’s office to get your insulin injected. That would that would be absurd,” Dworak said.Few people spoke in favor of the regulations during the hearing scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Lancaster County Event Center in Lincoln. Nebraska Family Alliance submitted written testimony. It said most children will grow out of dysphoria and warn the drugs could have long-term effects.”The state’s priority should be on helping children receive the help they need to address underlying issues, not drugs with serious and potentially life-altering consequences that don’t solve the underlying problem,” Nebraska Family Alliance Policy Director Nate Grasz wrote.”We urge DHHS to implement stronger regulations that will protect children’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being and prevent the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for purposes of “gender-affirming care,” Grasz wrote.ACLU Nebraska is concerned the rules, as proposed, cut off access to health care.”These regulations both inhibit access to medically necessary care and do not make sense in the health care landscape of Nebraska,” ACLU Nebraska Grant Friedman said.ACLU already has one suit challenging the law, claiming it violates the single-subject rule because it was combined with a 12-week abortion bill. Friedman said additional litigation is an option.”At this point, nothing is off the table. We’re looking into all different forms that we could do to try to make sure people are accessed care,” Friedman said.Care that is needed according to Tobi White, who is a pastor and mother of a transgender child.”I want my child to live rather than hide and shame in a body that is not theirs. You say let them grow. I say gender-affirming care is a life-saving care,” White said.State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, who filibustered the bill throughout the legislative session, was at the hearing for most of the day.”I’m very concerned about the rules and regulations and I hope that adjustment will be made based on the feedback that we’re hearing today because they appear to be burdensome and discriminatory,” Cavanaugh said.The sponsor of the law, state Sen. Kathleen Kauth, did not attend but said in a statement to KETV-Omaha.”I think the use of experimental, irreversible drugs that have no valid research proving they cure gender dysphoria but do have significant permanent negative consequences should be highly restrictive. I believe the first medical rule of ‘do no harm’ should be followed,” Kauth said.”Barriers are not arbitrary. They are there to provide an extra layer of protection for children whose brains have not fully developed,” Kauth said.Others said some of the drugs are the same ones used for cisgender children.”I’m asking that you review these regulations to ensure that the requirements for access to gender-affirming treatments are the ones you would feel comfortable subjecting all children to, not just trans children,” Manhart said.