Texas Legislature Approves Ban on Transsexual Care for Minors

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas will become the largest state to ban gender reassignment care for minors under a bill sent to Republican Governor Greg Abbott Wednesday night. Abbott had previously ordered child welfare agencies to investigate abuse and other mistreatment.

The bill, which used congressional manipulation to delay passage in recent weeks but was unable to completely derail it, passed the Republican-controlled Congress after a final vote in the Senate, despite opposition from Democrats. .

Texas now plans to join at least 17 other states with similar bans.

Abbott’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday night. Abbott last year ordered, for the first time as governor, an investigation into family caregivers. The investigation was later dropped by a Texas judge.

All major medical groups, including the American Medical Association, oppose this ban and support well-executed medical care for minors.

Texas is one of the states this year where Republican lawmakers prioritized measures to limit the rights of transgender people. The Texas House of Representatives also gave preliminary approval early Wednesday to a bill that would place restrictions on transgender college athletes.

Transgender rights activists disrupted the Texas legislature with protests from the Chamber gallery, and state police forced demonstrators to move out of the building.