During a Senate Committee on State Affairs meeting on Monday, Texas lawmakers brought forward a bill that would outlaw transgender treatments for minors and render them as a form of child abuse.
Senate Bill 1646, which was filed by Republican State Sen. Charles Perry and co-authored by twelve GOP state senators, would prevent children from receiving puberty suppression prescription drugs, cross-sex hormones or medical procedures or surgeries that would assist in a gender transition or reassignment.
One exception, however, would apply to children who are born intersex and require medical treatment, ABC-affiliate KVUE reported.
According to Perry’s office, violations of the proposed legislation would violate the state’s Family Code, which would trigger a Child Protective Investigation. As a result, parent(s) who violate the law could possibly have their child removed from their home.
Additionally, doctors conducting sex-change treatments would be accused of child abuse, which would lead to a license investigation by the Texas Medical Board.
During Monday’s Senate Committee hearing, Texas GOP Republican Executive Committee Member Jill Glover testified to lawmakers that sex changes are part of a trend that is further exaggerated by social media.
Nevertheless, the bill applies to minors under the age of 18, meaning that adults would still be able to undergo a sex change.
“Children are unable to give informed consent,” Glover explained. “This bill gives children a chance to get to adulthood with intact bodies.”
On the other hand, transgender people and parents of transgender children testified against the bill during the meeting. They called lawmakers to listen to trans children and leave the life-altering decision up to the patient, along with their parents and health care providers.
In a letter written to state lawmakers prior to Monday’s meeting, Doctors For Change, a Houston-based organization that focuses on research, education, collaboration and advocacy, likewise opposed the bill.
“We care for Texans of all ages, including transgender and non-binary children, youth, and adults and we are appalled by the blatant intention of SB 1646 to characterize the provision of our compassionate, evidence-based care as ‘child abuse’ and to levy criminal penalties against providers who are putting the health and well-being of patients first,” the letter said.
If approved, the bill would go into effect on Sept. 1.
Photo courtesy: Ben Wicks/Unsplash
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
