LINCOLN- The state’s chief medical officer, through his agency’s legal counsel, declined to attend a legislative briefing as requested by the Health and Human Services Committee. The HHS Committee requested last week that Dr. Timothy Tesmer give an in-person update on the ongoing rules and regulations process regarding gender care for minors. Those provisions became law Oct. 1 through LB574.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, who led opposition to LB 574, said Tesmer’s absence was disappointing, particularly when he committed to keep the committee informed. “He has not kept that commitment,” said Cavanaugh. Sen. Ben Hansen read a letter sent just before the briefing from Bo Botelho, chief legal officer for the Nebraska DHHS. Hanse wrote the amendment to LB 574.

Botelho’s letter told the committee that because the final regulations are currently under review by the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, and will soon go to the Governor’s Office for final say, DHHS “must respectfully decline” to participate in the briefing. The current set of temporary gender care regulations expire in one month, the future of gender care regulations hinging upon the current drafts in the Attorney General’s Office.

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