The Texas legislature has sent a bill limiting gender-transition treatments for minors to the desk of Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R.), who is expected to sign it.
The senate voted 19–12 to ban the treatments, including surgeries and medications. There is an exemption for minors who are already undergoing gender transition, but they must wean themselves of medications over an unspecified period of time.
Senate Bill 14 would prohibit a doctor from performing a mastectomy or a surgery that would sterilize a child. It would also prevent doctors from prescribing medications that induce transient or permanent infertility, including puberty blockers and hormones. Enforcement authority is given to the Texas attorney general.
The house acted on the measure last month. When the bill came up for debate and a vote in both chambers, it drew vocal opposition from Democrats and protestors.
However, Republican legislators thought it was important to protect minors.
“We are the Legislature — our job is to protect people,” explained Senator Bob Hall (R.), as quoted by the Texas Tribune. “We protect children against lots of things. We don’t let them smoke. We don’t let them drink. We don’t let them buy lottery cards. . . . And so we are doing the right thing.”
If Abbott signs Senate Bill 14 into law, the proposed ban will take effect on September 1. Over a dozen other states have enacted similar restrictions. Texas would be the largest state to do so yet.
The Texas house also advanced another transgender bill on Wednesday limiting transgender men from competing in men’s college sports and transgender women from competing in women’s college sports.
“This legislation is not about participation. This legislation is not about restricting anyone’s opportunities,” said Representative Valerie Swanson (R.), as quoted by the Tribune. “This legislation is about intercollegiate athletic competition. We are here to ensure there is fair play at the highest, most competitive levels of college athletics.”