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Legislation 2017

2017: 85th Regular Session

140daysThe 85th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature convened on Tuesday, January 10, 2017. The 31 members of the Texas Senate and the 150 members of the Texas House of Representatives considered legislation that directly impacts the lives of 27 million Texans. Throughout the 85th legislative session, Equality Texas aggressively advocated and lobbied to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Texans.

When the Texas Legislature is in session, our Legislative Information Center provides important information about Equality Texas’ current legislative work. This includes: information on bills in our legislative agenda, information on other bills we are monitoring, committee assignments and status of bills, and any action alerts/calls to action on specific bills. We invite you to review the information herein and sign up for our action alerts so that you may play an active role in supporting equal rights for all Texans.

Click here to see Equality Texas 2017 Legislative Report and Scorecard. 


Supported Legislation

HB 96
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Moody
Status: 2/13/17 Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
Repealing the unconstitutional provision on “homosexual conduct” & other statutory references to it. Companions: SB 166, HB 1848 Read Text of Bill
HB 192
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Bernal | Arevalo | Reynolds
Status: 5/6/17: Committee report sent to Calendars
Prohibiting discrimination in housing. Read Text of Bill
HB 225
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Johnson, Eric
Status: 5/5/17: Committee report sent to Calendars
Prohibiting discrimination in employment. Read Text of Bill
HB 226
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Howard | Coleman
Status: 2/13/17 Referred to Public Health
Improving HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Read Text of Bill
HB 258
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Anchia
Status: 2/13/17 Referred to State Affairs
Prohibiting state agency contracting with vendors in states that repealed non-discrimination protections or proscribe discrimination. Read Text of Bill
HB 290
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Johnson, Eric
Status: 5/6/17: Committee report sent to Calendars
Prohibiting sex discrimination in compensation. Read Text of Bill
HB 331
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Gonzalez, Mary
Status: 3/14/17 Referred directly to subcommittee on Education Quality - Public Education
Equalizing access to the “Romeo & Juliet” defense, and providing instruction in schools on consent in sexual relationships. Read Text of Bill
HB 494
Introduced: 12/5/16
Authors: Anchia
Status: 2/16/17 Referred to State Affairs
Prohibiting state travel to states that repealed non-discrimination protections or proscribe discrimination. Read Text of Bill
HB 569
Introduced: 12/12/16
Authors: Israel
Status: 2/28/16 Referred to State Affairs
Relating to unprofessional conduct by mental health providers who attempt to change the sexual orientation of a child; providing penalties. Read Text of Bill
HB 573
Introduced: 12/12/16
Authors: Thompson, Senfronia | Reynolds
Status: 3/1/17 Referred to State Affairs
Repealing the unconstitutional provision on “homosexual conduct” & other statutory references to it, plus post-Obergefell statutory modifications to reflect marriages of same-sex couples and their family relationships. Companion: SB 251 Read Text of Bill
HB 717
Introduced: 12/21/16
Authors: Wu
Status: 5/2/17 Scheduled for public hearing - House Insurance
Providing for the inclusion of HIV/AIDS testing in routine medical screenings while providing patient the right to opt-out. Companion: SB 1265 Read Text of Bill
HB 876
Introduced: 1/9/17
Authors: Turner
Status: 2/28/17 Referred to State Affairs
Prohibiting employment discrimination for state contractors. Read Text of Bill
HB 943
Introduced: 1/11/17
Authors: Howard
Status: 2/28/17 Referred to State Affairs
Establishing a transgender healthcare advisory committee. Read Text of Bill
HB 1018
Introduced: 1/12/17
Authors: Alonzo | Reynolds
Status: 3/6/17 Referred to Insurance
Prohibiting discrimination in insurance. Read Text of Bill
HB 1534
Introduced: 2/3/17
Authors: Farrar
Status: 3/9/17 Referred to State Affaris
Prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and state contracting. Companion: SB 165 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 1547
Introduced: 2/6/17
Authors: Gonzalez, Mary
Status: 3/9/17 Referred to Public Education
Providing age appropriate, medically accurate human sexuality education in public schools. Companion: SB 1104 Read Text of Bill
HB 1663
Introduced: 2/8/17
Authors: Dutton
Status: 3/22/17 Left pending in committee - Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
Providing post-Obergefell statutory modifications to reflect marriages of same-sex couples and their family relationships. Read Text of Bill
HB 1848
Introduced: 2/14/17
Authors: Coleman
Status: 4/24//17 Committee report sent to Calendars.
Repealing the unconstitutional provision on “homosexual conduct” & other statutory references to it. Companions: SB 166 and HB 96 Read Text of Bill
HB 1849
Introduced: 2/14/17
Authors: Coleman | Reynolds
Status: 3/15/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing for the addition of gender identity or expression to the list of attributes included in the “James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act”. Read Text of Bill
HB 2006
Introduced: 2/16/17
Authors: Anchia
Status: 3/13/17 Referred to Public Health
Providing required counseling regarding negative results of HIV tests. Read Text of Bill
HB 2355
Introduced: 2/23/17
Authors: Thierry
Status: 3/16/17 Referred to Higher Education
Providing measures to assist homeless students at public institutions of higher education. Read Text of Bill
HB 2860
Introduced: 3/3/17
Authors: Coleman
Status: 3/31/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing for the standardized correction of identity documents. Read Text of Bill
HB 4101
Introduced: 3/10/17
Authors: Lucio III
Status: 3/28/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing for the standardized correction of identity documents. Companion: SB 1341 Read Text of Bill
HB 4124
Introduced: 3/10/17
Authors: Rodriguez, Eddie
Status: 3/31/17 Referred to Human Services
Providing for a foster children’s bill of rights. Read Text of Bill
HB 4243
Introduced: 3/10/17
Authors: Hinojosa, Gina
Status: 4/3/17 Referred to State Affairs
Enabling local municipalities to establish policies that allow people to use bathroom or changing facilities matching their gender identity. Companion: SB 1113 Read Text of Bill
HB 4246
Introduced: 3/10/17
Authors: Arevalo
Status: 4/3/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing for inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in rights of the elderly. Read Text of Bill
SB 157
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Hinojosa | Rodriguez
Status: 1/25/17 Referred to State Affairs
Making changes to statute reflecting legalization of the freedom to marry. Read Text of Bill
SB 165
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Rodriguez | Garcia | Hinojosa | Whitmire
Status: 1/25/17 Referred to State Affairs
Prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and state contracting. Companion: HB 1534 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 166
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Rodriguez | Garcia | Whitmire
Status: 1/25/17 Referred to Criminal Justice
Repealing the unconstitutional provision on “homosexual conduct” & other statutory references to it. Companions: HB 96 and HB 1848 Read Text of Bill
SB 236
Introduced: 11/16/16
Authors: Menendez
Status: 1/30/17 Referred to State Affairs
Repealing the unconstitutional provision on “homosexual conduct” & other statutory references to it. Read Text of Bill
SB 251
Introduced: 11/21/16
Authors: Rodriguez
Status: 1/30/17 Referred to State Affairs
Repealing the unconstitutional provision on “homosexual conduct” & other statutory references to it, plus post-Obergefell statutory modifications to reflect marriages of same-sex couples and their family relationships. Companion: HB 573 Read Text of Bill
SB 911
Introduced: 2/15/17
Authors: Huffman
Status: 5/18/17: Committee report sent to Calendars
Providing that the form for a marriage license list the county of issuance, but may not list the name of the county clerk. Read Text of Bill
SB 1104
Introduced: 2/27/17
Authors: Watson
Status: 3/7/17 Referred to Education
Providing age appropriate, medically accurate human sexuality education in public schools. Companion: HB 1547 Read Text of Bill
SB 1113
Introduced: 2/27/17
Authors: Garcia | Rodriguez
Status: 3/7/17 Referred to State Affairs
Enabling local municipalities to establish policies that allow people to use bathroom or changing facilities matching their gender identity. Companion: HB 4243 Read Text of Bill
SB 1160
Introduced: 2/28/17
Authors: Garcia
Status: 3/9/17 Referred to Natural Resources & Economic Development
Prohibiting sex discrimination in compensation. Read Text of Bill
SB 1265
Introduced: 3/3/17
Authors: Miles
Status: 3/13/17 Referred to Health & Human Services
Providing for the inclusion of HIV/AIDS testing in routine medical screenings while providing patient the right to opt-out. Companion: HB 717 Read Text of Bill
SB 1341
Introduced: 3/6/17
Authors: Garcia | Rodriguez
Status: 3/14/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing for the standardized correction of identity documents. Companion: HB 4101 Read Text of Bill
SB 1342
Introduced: 3/6/17
Authors: Garcia
Status: 3/14/17 Referred to State Affairs
Prohibiting nonconsensual genital surgery on minors with intersex traits Read Text of Bill
SJR 16
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Rodriguez | Garcia | Hinojosa | Whitmire
Status: 1/30/17 Referred to State Affairs
Constitutional amendment to repeal the unconstitutional restrictions on the freedom to marry Read Text of Bill
SJR 44
Introduced: 2/27/17
Authors: Garcia | Rodriguez
Status: 3/9/17 Referred to State Affairs
Constitutional amendment providing for the recognition of equal rights for all people. Read Text of Bill

Opposed Legislation

HB 428
Introduced: 11/21/16
Authors: King, Phil | Phillips | Sanford | Murphy
Status: 2/21/17 Referred to Higher Education
Providing religious student organizations an exemption from nondiscrimination policies of public institutions of higher education if such policies do not conform to the student organization’s sincerely held religious beliefs. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 1362
Introduced: 1/30/17
Authors: Shaheen
Status: 2/27/17 Referred to State Affairs
Prohibiting public schools from implementing policies that would allow transgender Texans to use restroom and changing facilities consistent with their gender identity. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 1805
Introduced: 2/13/17
Authors: Sanford
Status: 3/22/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing child welfare service providers the ability to decline to provide, facilitate, or refer a person for child welfare services if it conflicts with the provider’s sincerely held religious beliefs. Companion: SB 892 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 1813
Introduced: 2/13/17
Authors: Flynn
Status: 05/03/2017: Left pending in committee - House State Affairs
Allowing county clerks to pass off issuing marriage licenses to other certifying officials if issuing that marriage license conflicts with the clerk’s sincerely held religious beliefs. Companion: SB 522 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 1923
Introduced: 2/15/17
Authors: Krause
Status: 3/13/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing individuals and businesses the ability to decline to provide services to anyone if providing the service conflicts with the individual’s or businesses sincerely held religious beliefs. Companion: SB 893 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 2280
Introduced: 2/22/17
Authors: Dean
Status: 3/15/17 Referred to State Affairs
Requiring law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration detainers. Read Text of Bill
HB 2779
Introduced: 3/2/17
Authors: Schaefer
Status: 3/27/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing broad-based ability to decline to provide services to anyone if providing the service conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs. Applies to adoption & foster care, employment, housing, marriage-related licensing, ceremonies, and services; sex reassignment, psychological, counseling & fertility services; sex-based dress, grooming, & bathroom access; licensing & accreditation. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 2795
Introduced: 3/3/17
Authors: Lang
Status: 3/30/17 Referred to County Affairs
Providing county clerks and deputy county clerks the ability to decline to provide a marriage license if doing so conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 2876
Introduced: 3/5/17
Authors: Sanford
Status: 3/29/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing wedding industry professionals and employees the right to refuse service to clients if doing so conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 2878
Introduced: 3/3/17
Authors: Sanford
Status: 3/29/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing health care professionals the right to refuse to treat patients if doing so conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 2899
Introduced: 3/6/17
Authors: Simmons
Status: 4/19/17: Left pending in committee - House State Affairs
Committee Substitute: House version of bathroom bill. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 3571
Introduced: 3/9/17
Authors: Oliverson
Status: 3/30/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing a religious exemption from any civil action claiming discrimination, or violation of a municipal ordinance for discrimination, based on any characteristic other than race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 3856
Introduced: 3/10/17
Authors: Rinaldi
Status: 3/30/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing the providers of psychological & counseling services the right to refuse service to clients if doing so conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs. Companion: SB 2096 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 3859
Introduced: 3/10/17
Authors: Frank
Status: 9/1/17: Into effect as law
Providing the providers of child welfare services the ability to discriminate and refuse service to clients if doing so conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
HB 4097
Introduced: 3/10/17
Authors: Cain
Status: 4/3/17 Referred to State Affairs
Prohibiting any local authority from providing nondiscrimination protections not otherwise provided in state law; repealing any existing local protections that are broader than state law. Companion: SB 92 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 4
Introduced: 11/15/16
Authors: Perry
Status: 5/7/17: Signed by the Governor
Prohibiting the ability of local jurisdictions to protect immigrant communities and operate its jails, including denial of detainers for persons who are otherwise eligible for release. Companions: HB 611, HB 754, HB 889, HB 1308 Read Text of Bill
SB 6
Introduced: 1/5/17
Authors: Kolkhorst
Status: 3/16/17 House received from the Senate
Prohibiting transgender Texans from using restroom and changing facilities consistent with their gender identity. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 89
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Hall
Status: 1/24/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing for the state of Texas to refuse to enforce any federal law deemed to violate the Texas Constitution. Read Text of Bill
SB 92
Introduced: 11/14/16
Authors: Hall
Status: 1/24/17 Referred to Business & Commerce
Prohibiting any local authority from providing nondiscrimination protections not otherwise provided in state law; repealing any existing local protections that are broader than state law. Companion: HB 4097 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 242
Introduced: 11/17/16
Authors: Burton
Status: 1/30/17 Referred to Education
Providing that upon the request of a parent, a school employee shall disclose any personal, direct, or incidental knowledge regarding a child. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 522
Introduced: 1/19/17
Authors: Birdwell
Status: 5/20/17: Committee report sent to Calendars
Allowing county clerks to pass off issuing marriage licenses to other certifying officials if issuing that marriage license conflicts with the clerk’s sincerely held religious beliefs. Companion: HB 1813 Take Action Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 651
Introduced: 1/27/17
Authors: Perry | Birdwell | Hughes
Status: 2/14/17 Referred to Business & Commerce
Redefines and expands the definition of religious expression, and limits the enforcement of rules, regulations, and policies of state agencies that regulate business, occupation or professional licensing. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 892
Introduced: 2/14/17
Authors: Perry
Status: 4/19/17 Left pending in committee - Senate Health & Human Services
Providing child welfare service providers the ability to decline to provide, facilitate, or refer a person for child welfare services if it conflicts with the provider’s sincerely held religious beliefs. Companion: HB 3859 Take Action Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 893
Introduced: 2/14/17
Authors: Hughes
Status: 2/28/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing individuals and businesses the ability to decline to provide services to anyone if providing the service conflicts with the individual’s or businesses sincerely held religious beliefs. Companion: HB 1923 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 1536
Introduced: 3/8/17
Authors: Campbell
Status: 3/21/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing the providers of child welfare services the right to refuse service to clients if doing so conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs. Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief
SB 2095
Introduced: 3/10/2017
Authors: Hall
Status: 5/18/17: Left pending in committee - House Public Education
Relating to regulation of steroid use by students participating in athletic competitions sponsored or sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League. Read Text of Bill
SB 2096
Introduced: 3/10/17
Authors: Hall
Status: 3/28/17 Referred to State Affairs
Providing the providers of psychological & counseling services the right to refuse service to clients if doing so conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs. Companion: HB 3856 Read Text of Bill Read Issue Brief