The Texas Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would ban trans youth from playing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
The Republican-led Senate voted 19-12 in favor of passing the legislation. This is the fourth time the proposed law has come before lawmakers.
More than 75 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed since January, according to advocacy group Equality Texas.
“Transgender children participating in sports is not a national emergency,” said Equality Texas Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Martinez in a statement. “These attacks on trans kids and the ongoing trauma to the trans community certainly are. That is unconscionable.”
The legislation will now move to the House where the bill has died in previous sessions.
Republicans have also filed several other anti-LGBTQ bills besides Senate Bill 3 (and its House version, HB 10 carried by Rep. Valoree Swanson).
Republicans are also attempting to ban affirming and age-appropriate healthcare for transgender youth.
Sen. Charles Perry and Rep. Bryan Slaton have once again filed a bill to criminalize transgender child care, classifying it as child abuse for parents and doctors. Another bill by Perry would require a person’s sex on a birth certificate and would prevent minors from amending it.
Photo: Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignalarchive.com
