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US Laws Against FGM – State by State

Only 41 States currently have laws against FGM*

States with laws against FGM are highlighted in orange

*(updated as of April 2023)

StateApplicable lawOnly applies to minors (under 18 unless otherwise specified)Parent/ Guardian and circumciser subject to prosecution“Vacation provision” banning travel outside the state for FGMCultural/ ritual reason and/or consent not a defenseProvisions for community education and outreachSentence
ArizonaA.R.S § 12-513, 13-705,  13-1214, 13-3620 Effective 4/24/2014   Imprisonment 5.25 – 35 years and fine of not less than $25,000
ArkansasA.C.A. § 5-14-135, 12-18-103, 16-118-116, 17-80-121, 20-82-101, 20-82-102 Effective Mar. 26, 2019Imprisonment 3-10 years
California iCal. Pen. Code § 273a, 273.4 Passed in 1996; Effective 1/1/1997  Imprisonment 1 – 6 years
Colorado iiCol. Rev. Stat. § 18-6-401 Effective 5/24/1999Under 16 Imprisonment minimum 4 years
DelawareDel. Code Tit. 11, § 780 Effective 7/3/1996  Imprisonment up to 5 years
FloridaFla. Stat. § 794.08 Effective 10/1/2018 Imprisonment up to 15 years and/or fine up to $10,000
Georgia iiiO.C.G.A. § 16-5-27 Effective 7/1/2005 Imprisonment 5 – 20 years
Hawaii[PROPOSED LEGISLATION: SB 1434HB 132] Imprisonment for an indeterminate term
IdahoI.C. §18-1506B, I.C. §19-402, Passed March 21, 2019 Effective Jul. 1, 2019   Imprisonment up to life
Illinois720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/12-34 Effective 1/1/1998, as amended 8/9/2019   Imprisonment 4 – 30 years and a fine up to $25,000
IndianaIC § 35-42-2, as added by P.L.51-2021Imprisonment 3-16 years and a fine up to $10,000
IowaI.C.A. § 708.16, Passed 5/1/2019 Imprisonment for up to 5 years and fine of $750-$7,500
KansasK.S.A. § 21-5431 Enacted 4/10/2013 Imprisonment 89-100 months
KentuckyK.R.S 508.125; 15.334 Effective 4/2/2020Imprisonment 10-20 years
LouisianaLa. R.S. 14:43.4 Effective 8/1/2012 Imprisonment up to 15 years
MarylandMd. Code Health-Gen. § 20-601, 602 Effective 4/28/1998   Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to $5,000
MassachusettsChapter 149 of Acts of 2020 Effective 8/6/2020 Imprisonment 2.5-10 years and fine up to $10,000
MichiganMI ST 750.136; 750.136a333.9159Effective 10/9/2017Imprisonment up
to 15 years
MinnesotaPASSED: Minn. Stat. § 144.3872, 609.2245; Effective 8/1/1995[PROPOSED LEGISLATION: HF 373]   Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to $10,000
MissouriMo. Rev. Stat. § 568.065 Passed 7/13/2000Effective 1/1/2017Under 17  Imprisonment 5 – 15 years
NevadaNev. Rev. Stat. § 200.5083 Effective 6/26/1997 Imprisonment 2 – 10 years and/or fine up to $10,000
New HampshireN.H. Rev. Stat. § 632-A:10-d Effective Jan. 1, 2019 Imprisonment up to 7 years
New JerseyN.J. Stat. § 2C:24- 10 Effective 1/17/2014 Imprisonment 3 – 5 years
New YorkN.Y. Penal Law § 130.85 Effective 11/1/1997; N.Y. Public Health Law § 207(k) Effective 11/20/2015 Imprisonment up to 4 years
North CarolinaNC ST § 14-28.1 Effective 10/1/2019 Imprisonmnet up to 15.16 years
North DakotaN.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-36-01 Effective 8/1/1995, Amended 4/5/2019.  Imprisonment up to 5 years and /or fine up to $10,000
OhioOH ST § 2903.322929.142929.18 Amended 4/5/2019  Imprisonment 2-8 years and/or a fine up to $15,000, and an additional fine up to $25,000
Oklahoma21 Okl. St. § 760 Effective 11/1/2009    Imprisonment 3 years to life and /or fine up to $20,000
OregonOr. Rev. Stat. § 163.207 Effective 7/15/1999431A.600 Added 2019 Imprisonment up to 10 years
Pennsylvania18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3132 Passed 6/28/2019 Imprisonment for more than 10 years
Rhode Island ivR.I. Gen. Laws § 11-5-2 Effective 7/3/1996     Imprisonment up to 20 years 
South CarolinaCode 1976 § 16-3-2210-2240, Passed May 16, 2019 Imprisonment up to 20 years and/or fine up to $20,000
South DakotaS.D.C.L. §§ 22-18- 37, 22-18-38, 22- 18-39 Effective 3/10/2015 Imprisonment up to 10 years and fine up to $20,000
TennesseeTenn. Code § 39-13-110 Effective 7/1/1996, as amended, Effective 7/1/2019   Imprisonment 2 – 12 years and /or fine up to $5,000
TexasTex. Health & Safety Code § 167.001 Effective 9/1/2017 Imprisonment 6 months-2 years and /or fine up to $10,000
UtahU.C.A. 1953 § 76-5-701, 76-5-702, 76-5-703, 76-5-704 Passed Mar. 22, 2019Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to $5,000
Vermont13 V.S.A § 3151 Effective Feb. 27, 2020   Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to $25,000
VirginiaVa. Code §§ 8.01- 42.5, 18.2-51.7 Effective July 1, 2018. Va. Code § 22.1-207.1:1, Passed Feb. 22, 2019  Imprisonment up to life and/or a fine up to $100,000
WashingtonAN ACT Relating to female genital mutilation effective from April 20, 2023  Imprisonment up to 10 years and/or fine of $20,000
Washington, D.C. v[PROPOSED LEGISLATION DC B23-0339] Imprisonment up to 10 years or a fine up to $25,000
West VirginiaW. Va. Code § 61-8D-3A Passed 2/23/1999; Effective 90 days later  Imprisonment 2 – 10 years & fine $1-5,000
WisconsinWis. Stat. § 146.35 Effective 5/28/1996   Imprisonment 6 years and/or fine up to $10,000
WyomingHB0127 Effective 7/1/2020Imprisonment 5-25 years

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