A Texas bill aiming to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth hit a setback Tuesday in the Texas House.
Senate Bill 14 would ban gender-affirming care including surgery and puberty blockers for anyone under 18. It prohibits state money from going to providers. Physicians face losing their licenses for providing the care.
The bill, a legislative priority for Republicans, was set to be debated Tuesday in the Texas House before a Democratic lawmaker called a point of order -- a procedural tactic aimed at challenging the bill's advance. The concern was raised over a misnaming in the bill's analysis, which must be corrected before it can move forward.
The challenge worked in this case, and the bill was sent back to the Public Health Committee where it will have to be voted on before it can get a full House vote.
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At one point while the bill was on the House floor a number of protesters were cleared from the capitol gallery.
“So, the more that I learned and the more that I saw her thrive, I knew that we were on the right path. And now I see my daughter who is her wonderful self, and you know, almost every day is a great day and I don’t want it to go back to the time before when she was struggling,” said Frank Gonzales, the father of a transgender teenager in Dallas who was in Austin protesting the bill.
“I think at the end of the day, an adult person of sound mind and body, if they want to permanently alter themselves and they understand what they are giving up and they want to do that that's fine. But I don’t think that an 11-year-old, or a 12-year-old, or even a 15-year-old is in a position to make a decision like that,” said Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, one of the sponsors of the bill.
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Lawmakers expect the bill to get through the committee quickly and it could be back on the floor later this week. The bill passed the Senate down party lines.
