The Texas Congress passed a bill that prohibits minors from undergoing gender reassignment surgeries and hormone treatments. The text now heads to Governor Greg Abbott's desk awaiting his signature. If approved, the ban would take effect on Sept. 1, 2023.
The rule would prevent physicians from providing gender transition care to children under the age of 18 and would also require those already receiving the treatments to "wean off" in a "safe and medically appropriate" manner for an unspecified period of time.
The state Senate voted 19-12 to accept House Bill 14, with slight changes. This was originally a Senate proposal.
Lawmakers also backed SB 15, which would prohibit trans athletes from participating in sports competitions that do not correspond to their biological sex at universities and public schools.
Largest state to ban gender transitions for minors
Texas joins 17 other states that have enacted bans on transgender medical treatments for children. Among them are: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, South Dakota and West Virginia .
The Williams Institute, a research center on LGBT demographics, estimated that nearly 30,000 transgender children aged 13 to 17 live in Texas. This figure represents about 1% of the population in this age group.
