US Laws Against FGM - State by State
States with laws against FGM highlighted in orange.
|
State |
Applicable law |
Only applies to minors (under 18 unless otherwise specified) |
Parent/ Guardian and circumciser subject to prosecution |
“Vacation provision” banning travel outside the state for FGM |
Cultural/ ritual reason and/or consent not a defense |
Provisions for community education and outreach |
Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Arizona |
A.R.S § 12-513, 13-705, 13-1214, 13-3620 Effective 4/24/2014 |
x |
x |
Imprisonment 5.25 - 35 years and fine of not less than $25,000 |
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|
Arkansas |
A.C.A. § 5-14-135, 12-18-103, 16-118-116, 17-80-121, 20-82-101, 20-82-102 Effective Mar. 26, 2019 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment 3-10 years |
|
California i |
Cal. Pen. Code § 273a, 273.4 Passed in 1996; Effective 1/1/1997 |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment 1 - 6 years |
||
|
Colorado ii |
Under 16 |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment minimum 4 years |
||
|
Delaware |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment up to 5 years |
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|
Florida |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment up to 15 years and/or fine up to $10,000 |
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|
Georgia iii |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment 5 - 20 years |
||
|
Hawaii |
|
x |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment for an indeterminate term |
|
|
Idaho |
I.C. §18-1506B, I.C. §19-402, Passed March 21, 2019 Effective Jul. 1, 2019 |
x |
|
|
x |
Imprisonment up to life |
|
|
Illinois |
720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/12-34 Effective 1/1/1998, as amended 8/9/2019 |
x |
x |
Imprisonment 4 - 30 years and a fine up to $25,000 |
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|
Iowa |
x |
|
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment for up to 5 years and fine of $750-$7,500 |
|
|
Kansas |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment 89-100 months |
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|
Louisiana |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment up to 15 years |
||
|
Maryland |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to $5,000 |
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|
Massachusetts |
x |
|
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment 2.5-10 years and fine up to $10,000 |
|
|
Michigan |
x |
|
|
x |
|
Imprisonment up |
|
|
Minnesota |
PASSED: Minn. Stat. § 144.3872, 609.2245; Effective 8/1/1995 [PROPOSED LEGISLATION: HF 373] |
x |
x |
Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to $10,000 |
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|
Missouri |
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 568.065 Passed 7/13/2000; Effective 1/1/2017 |
Under 17 |
x |
x |
Imprisonment 5 - 15 years |
||
|
Nevada |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment 2 - 10 years and/or fine up to $10,000 |
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|
New Hampshire |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Imprisonment up to 7 years |
|
|
New Jersey |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Imprisonment 3 - 5 years |
|
|
New York |
N.Y. Penal Law § 130.85 Effective 11/1/1997; N.Y. Public Health Law § 207(k) Effective 11/20/2015 |
x |
x |
|
x |
x |
Imprisonment up to 4 years |
|
North Carolina |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Imprisonmnet up to 15.16 years |
|
|
North Dakota |
N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-36-01 Effective 8/1/1995, Amended 4/5/2019. |
x |
x |
|
x |
|
Imprisonment up to 5 years and /or fine up to $10,000 |
|
Ohio |
x |
|
|
x |
|
Imprisonment 2-8 years and/or a fine up to $15,000, and an additional fine up to $25,000 |
|
|
Oklahoma |
|
|
|
x |
|
Imprisonment 3 years to life and /or fine up to $20,000 |
|
|
Oregon |
x |
x |
|
x |
|
Imprisonment up to 10 years |
|
|
Pennsylvania |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Imprisonment for more than 10 years |
|
|
Rhode Island iv |
|
|
|
|
|
Imprisonment up to 20 years |
|
|
South Carolina |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Imprisonment up to 20 years and/or fine up to $20,000 |
|
|
South Dakota |
S.D.C.L. §§ 22-18- 37, 22-18-38, 22- 18-39 Effective 3/10/2015 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Imprisonment up to 10 years and fine up to $20,000 |
|
Tennessee |
Tenn. Code § 39-13-110 Effective 7/1/1996, as amended, Effective 7/1/2019 |
|
x |
|
x |
|
Imprisonment 2 - 12 years and /or fine up to $5,000 |
|
Texas |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Imprisonment 6 months-2 years and /or fine up to $10,000 |
|
|
Utah |
U.C.A. 1953 § 76-5-701, 76-5-702, 76-5-703, 76-5-704 Passed Mar. 22, 2019 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to $5,000 |
|
Vermont |
[PROPOSED LEGISLATION: H.83] |
x |
|
x |
|
|
Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to $25,000 |
|
Virginia |
Va. Code §§ 8.01- 42.5, 18.2-51.7 Effective July 1, 2018. Va. Code § 22.1-207.1:1, Passed Feb. 22, 2019 |
x |
x |
x |
|
x |
Imprisonment up to life and/or a fine up to $100,000 |
|
Washington |
[PROPOSED LEGISLATION HB 2000] |
x |
x |
|
x |
|
Imprisonment up to 10 years and/or fine of $20,000 |
|
Washington, D.C. v |
[PROPOSED LEGISLATION DC B23-0339] |
|
x |
x |
x |
x |
Imprisonment up to 10 years or a fine up to $25,000 |
|
West Virginia |
W. Va. Code § 61-8D-3A Passed 2/23/1999; Effective 90 days later |
x |
x |
|
x |
|
Imprisonment 2 - 10 years & fine $1-5,000 |
|
Wisconsin |
x |
|
|
x |
|
Imprisonment 6 years and/or fine up to $10,000 |
i California: enhanced penalty for FGM under “Abandonment and Neglect of Children” (Penal Code).
ii Colorado: within child abuse law, and one of few states where doctor-patient and husband-wife privileges are inapplicable in prosecutions for FGM.
iii Georgia: One of few states where husband-wife and other statutory privileges are inapplicable in prosecutions for FGM.
iv Rhode Island: within assault statute
v Washington, D.C.: Law applies to both minors and individuals under a conservatorship or guardianship
Learn more about FGM in the US.



