The LGBTQ+ community in Texas has endured a lot at the hands of state and local leaders. While we’ve seen an extraordinary amount of anti-LGBTQ+ bills filed already, few are confident that few will move forward. During the last legislative session and special sessions 76 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were filed, only 20 moved, and only one passed. We are confident that working together, we can stop these bad bills from further harming our community.
The life cycle of a bill: a bill is filed → referred to House/Senate committee → House/Senate hearing scheduled → pending in House/Senate committee → first House/Senate floor vote → second House/Senate floor vote → House/Senate passage → signed by the Governor. Bills have to go through both the House and the Senate to be enacted and if it is in the opposite chamber it originated in, it’s moved further along in the process. For example, if the bill originated in the House (ex HB 1), a status of “referred to Senate committee” is further along in the process than “House passage.” If you would like to learn more about the bill process, keep an eye out for our next Lege 101 training on our events page.
These bills attempt to enact healthcare bans that limit access to life-saving healthcare for transgender youth in opposition to best-practice medical standards of care.
| Bill Number | Author | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 41 | Toth | Prohibits physicians from providing best practice, life-saving care for trangender youth (license removal). Also bans insurance companies for covering such treatment. | Filed |
| HB 122 | Toth | Prohibits physicians from providing best practice, life-saving care for trangender youth (license removal). Also bans insurance companies for covering such treatment. Criminal offense if action towards gender affirming care is taken. | Filed |
| SB 250 | Hall | Campbell | Perry | Prohibits physicians from providing best practice, life-saving care for trangender youth (license removal). Also bans insurance companies from covering such treatment. Will result in loss of license | Filed |
| HB 776 | Harrison | Prohibits physicians from providing best practice, life-saving care for trangender youth. | Filed |
| SB 249 | Hall | Campbell | Perry | Provides an exception to the genital mutilation code for surgeries on intersex minors. These procedures are often performed on infants who cannot consent. | Filed |
| HB 42 | Slaton | Adds best practice, life-saving care for trans youth to child abuse statutes. | Filed |
| HB 436 | Patterson | Adds best practice, life-saving care for trans youth to child abuse statutes. | Filed |
| HB 672 | Hefner | Adds best practice, life-saving care for trans youth to child abuse statutes. | Filed |
| HB 1532 | Schatzline | Adds best practice, life-saving care for trans youth to child abuse statutes. Prohibits physicians from providing best practice, life-saving care for trangender youth (license removal). Also bans insurance companies from covering such treatment. Will result in loss of license | Filed |
| HB 1686 | Oliverson | Filed | |
| SB 625 | Campbell | Filed | |
| HB 1752 | Toth | ||
| HB 888 | Slawson | Carves out a separate statute of limitations for healthcare malpractice claims related to gender-affirming care (any time before a person’s 25th birthday). | |
| HB 1029 | Harrison | Prohibits state funding for best-practice health care for transgender Texans of any age. | |
| HB 319 | Oliverson | Allows for any provider to deny participation in a healthcare service due to their “conscience” defined as a sincerely held set of moral convictions. There are exceptions provided for emergency or life-saving care. | |
| SCR 3 | Hall | Campbell | A resolution condemning major U.S. medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the Children’s Hospital Association for their support of gender affirming care. Also calls for the State of Texas to express support for ending this best-practice, life-saving care. |
These bills attempt to further stigmatize the LGBTQ+ community in the classroom by devaluing the humanity and existence of transgender Texans, including bills that place highly invasive gender “tests” to participate in everyday tasks whether by having to “prove” one’s gender to go to the restroom, be on a sports team, or participate in other parts of day to day life, and censor educators and students by turning identity into a banned topic (“Don’t Say Gay/Trans”).
| Bill Number | Author | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 631 | Toth | Bans classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity in Texas, not only in grades K-5, but also for any grade if someone concludes the instruction is somehow "not appropriate in accordance with state standards." The bill would also require school personnel to notify parents of all changes in a student’s physical, mental, or emotional health. Creates cause of legal action for any alleged violations of the bill. | Filed |
| HB 1155 | Patterson | Bans classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity in Texas, not only in grades K-8, but also for any grade as long as someone concludes that the instruction is somehow “not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate.” The bill would also require school personnel to notify parents of all changes in a student’s physical, mental, or emotional health. The bill would also require training on student support services to adhere to state standards. | Filed |
| SB 393 | Hall | Filed | |
| HB 1541 | Toth | Filed | |
| HB 1149 | Swanson | Filed | |
| SB 400 | Hall | Filed | |
| SB 595 | Kolkhorst | Filed | |
| SB 391 | Hall | Filed | |
| SB 394 | Hall | Filed | |
| HB 111 | Toth | Right now, age-appropriate descriptions of sex and nudity are allowed for educational, scientific, psychological, or psychiatric reasons. This bill undermines and micromanages educators’ use of age-appropriate references to sex, sexuality, or nudity. | Filed |
| HB 151 | Slaton | Right now, age-appropriate descriptions of sex and nudity are allowed for educational, scientific, psychological, or psychiatric reasons. This bill undermines and micromanages educators’ use of age-appropriate references to sex, sexuality, or nudity. | Filed |
| HB 976 | Patterson | Right now, age-appropriate descriptions of sex and nudity are allowed for educational, scientific, psychological, or psychiatric reasons. This bill undermines and micromanages educators’ use of age-appropriate references to sex, sexuality, or nudity. | Filed |
| SB 437 | Middleton | Right now, age-appropriate descriptions of sex and nudity are allowed for educational, scientific, psychological, or psychiatric reasons. This bill undermines and micromanages educators’ use of age-appropriate references to sex, sexuality, or nudity. | Filed |
| HB 552 | Troxclair | Right now, age-appropriate descriptions of sex and nudity are allowed for educational, scientific, psychological, or psychiatric reasons. This bill undermines and micromanages educators’ use of age-appropriate references to sex, sexuality, or nudity. | Filed |
| HB 571 | Leo-Wilson | Right now, age-appropriate descriptions of sex and nudity are allowed for educational, scientific, psychological, or psychiatric reasons. This bill undermines and micromanages educators’ use of age-appropriate references to sex, sexuality, or nudity. | Filed |
| HB 858 | Slaton | Right now, age-appropriate descriptions of sex and nudity are allowed for educational, scientific, psychological, or psychiatric reasons. This bill undermines and micromanages educators’ use of age-appropriate references to sex, sexuality, or nudity. | Filed |
| HB 869 | Hefner | Right now, age-appropriate descriptions of sex and nudity are allowed for educational, scientific, psychological, or psychiatric reasons. This bill undermines and micromanages educators’ use of age-appropriate references to sex, sexuality, or nudity. | Filed |
| SB 395 | Hall | Right now, age-appropriate descriptions of sex and nudity are allowed for educational, scientific, psychological, or psychiatric reasons. This bill undermines and micromanages educators’ use of age-appropriate references to sex, sexuality, or nudity. | Filed |
| HB 1408 | Schaefer | Filed | |
| HB 1655 | Patterson | Filed | |
| HB 1404 | Shaheen | Filed | |
| HB 1507 | King, Ken | Filed | |
| HB 338 | Oliverson | Requires publishers who provide books to schools to assign and label all their books with a “content rating,” like movies or video games. Schools are prohibited from using certain books based on grade level. | Filed |
| HB 360 | Toth | Requires that all activities and teaching materials used in schools must be documented, approved, and reported publicly on a monthly basis. The bill allows for parents to request a school review of activities/teaching materials to determine if they were properly reported and if the activity/teaching material in question is a) appropriate and b) aligned with state educational standards. | Filed |
| SB 165 | Campbell | Requires annual curriculum audits based on standards set by the TEA commissioner and the statewide reporting of all schools not in compliance. parents are required to provide consent for all non-textbook instruction involving violence, nudity, profanity, illegal substance use, or sexual content; as well as activities attempting to “investigate how a person’s behavior influences the behavior of a group or the internal states of members of a group, such as attitude or self-concept.” | Filed |
| HJR 38 | Vasut | Proposes a state constitutional amendment enshrining the parental “right to direct the upbringing of their child,” including the right to “direct the care, custody, control, education, moral and religious training, and medical care of the child,” with serious implications for LGBTQ+ youth. | Filed |
| HJR 58 | Frank | Proposes a state constitutional amendment enshrining the parental “right to direct the upbringing of their child,” including the right to “direct the care, custody, control, education, moral and religious training, and medical care of the child,” with serious implications for LGBTQ+ youth. | Filed |
| HJR 85 | Burrows | Proposes a state constitutional amendment enshrining the parental “right to direct the upbringing of their child,” including the right to “direct the care, custody, control, education, moral and religious training, and medical care of the child,” with serious implications for LGBTQ+ youth. | Filed |
| SJR 29 | Paxton | Proposes a state constitutional amendment enshrining the parental “right to direct the upbringing of their child,” including the right to “direct the care, custody, control, education, moral and religious training, and medical care of the child,” with serious implications for LGBTQ+ youth. | Filed |
| SB 421 | Paxton | Filed | |
| HB 1006 | Tepper | Forces all universities to be socially, politically, and culturally “neutral,” forces universities to commit to “viewpoint diversity” while banning the existance of any office of diversity, equity, and inclusion or any other office “funding, supporting, promoting, or sponsoring any initiative or formulation of diversity, equity, and inclusion.” | Filed |
| HB 1607 | Harris, Cody | ||
| HB 1046 | Tepper | Prohibits higher ed institutions from considering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles as requirements for employment, admissions, promotions, etc. | Filed |
| HB 1033 | Tepper | Filed | |
| HB 23 | Swanson | Extends the anti-transgender sports ban to collegiate levels and expands the ban itself to include banning trans youth from sports participation (in addition to competition). | Filed |
| HB 262 | Swanson | Allows for selective noncompliance of federal executive orders as determined by the Texas Attorney General for federal rules in certain categories, including rules regulating k-12 sports. | Filed |
These bills punish small businesses for creating safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community
| Bill Number | Author | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 643 | Patterson | Defines any business that hosts performers exhibiting a gender identity different from the performer's birth (including by makeup or clothing) as sexually oriented businesses in the eyes of the law. | Filed |
| HB 708 | Shaheen | Defines any business that hosts performers exhibiting a gender identity different from the performer's birth (including by makeup or clothing) as sexually oriented businesses in the eyes of the law. | Filed |
| HB 1266 | Schatzline | Defines any business that hosts performers exhibiting a gender identity different from the performer's birth (including by makeup or clothing) as sexually oriented businesses in the eyes of the law. | Filed |
| SB 476 | Hughes | Defines any business that hosts performers exhibiting a gender identity different from the performer's birth (including by makeup or clothing) as sexually oriented businesses in the eyes of the law. | Filed |
Having an ID that reflects who you are is a basic form of dignity that many take for granted.These bills make it difficult or impossible for trans people to update essential ID documents.
| Bill Number | Author | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 162 | Perry | Prohibits the correction of gender markers on minors' birth certificates for anything other than a clerical error or in the event a child is intersex. | Filed |
| Bill Number | Author | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 256 | Bernal | Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, public accomodations, housing, and state contractors. | Filed |
| HB 725 | Rose | Updates Texas hate crimes laws to add in gender identity or expression. Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in custody issues, in providing insurance and employment. | Filed |
| HB 850 | Reynolds | Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, public accomodations, housing, and state contractors. | Filed |
| HB 1012 | Gonzalez, Jessica | Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status in employment, public accomodations, housing, and state contractors. | Filed |
| SB 110 | Menendez | Eckhardt | Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status in employment, public accomodations, housing, and state contractors. | Filed |
| HB 265 | Bernal | Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in housing. | Filed |
| HB 831 | Johnson, Julie | Prohibits the denial of insurance coverage to any individual on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. | Filed |
| HB 1020 | Reynolds | Requires training for election workers to prevent harassment, discrimination, and issues for transgender voters at the polls. | Filed |
| HB 1534 | Gervin-Hawkins | Recognizes veterans who were discharged unfavorably due to their LGBTQ+ identity as honorably discharged under state law and ensuring their access to all associated benefits. | Filed |
| HB 832 | Johnson, Julie | Prohibits child welfare services providers from refusing to provide services based on the provider's religious beliefs. | Filed |
| SB 439 | Menendez | Bans conversion therapy. | Filed |
| HB 1679 | Hernandez | Bans conversion therapy. | Filed |
| HB 1746 | Hernandez | Bans nonconsensual medical procedures for intersex youth. | Filed |
| HB 496 | Meza | Prohibits the coverage of conversion therapy by health benefit plans. | Filed |
| HB 526 | Wu | Requires health benefit plan coverage of HIV testing in routine screenings (with an option for patients to opt-out). | Filed |
| HB 1390 | Shaheen | Filed | |
| HB 989 | Howard | Directs the department of State Health Services to establish a plan to prevent and treat human papillomavirus among students enrolled at institutions of higher education. | Filed |
| HB 1162 | Thierry | Filed | |
| HB 1165 | Thierry | Filed | |
| HB 1249 | Lozano | Filed | |
| HB 1485 | Ramos | Filed | |
| HB 98 | Moody | Allows school districts to contract with local mental health authorities to provide mental health services on-campus. | Filed |
| HB 1157 | Lozano | Filed | |
| SB 449 | Menendez | Requires school board members and superintendents to complete an annual training course on trauma-informed school standards. | Filed |
| HB 1537 | Howard | Allows law enforcement agencies to submit "handle with care" notices to schools if they notice a student has experienced a traumatic event in the course of their duties. Directs the TEA and law enforcement agencies to develop implementation training and appropriate care for affected students. | Filed |
| HB 906 | Moody | ||
| SB 633 | Menendez | ||
| HB 1135 | Jetton | Filed | |
| HB 72 | Zwiener | Requires public school health curriculum to adopt evidence-based practices that will teach respect for another person's bodily autonomy. | Filed |
| HB 1119 | Gervin-Hawkins | Directs the State Board of Education to develop curriculum on cultural sensitivity, including encouraging students to accept diversity and promote critical thinking. | Filed |
| HB 1334 | Gervin-Hawkins | Directs the State Board of Education to develop curriculum on cultural sensitivity, including encouraging students to accept diversity and promote critical thinking. | Filed |
| HB 97 | Bernal | Repeals harmful education censorship policies that were passed in the 87th legislative sesison. | Filed |
| SB 81 | Johnson | Updates unconstitutional state code to include and recognize LGBTQ+ families. | Filed |
| HB 1685 | Hernandez | Updates state statute to recognize marriage equality. | Filed |
| SJR 15 | Johnson | Proposes a state constitutional amendment repealing unconstitutional language not reflective of marriage equality. | Filed |
| HJR 61 | Johnson, Julie | Proposes a state constitutional amendment repealing unconstitutional language not reflective of marriage equality. | Filed |
| SB 82 | Johnson | Updates unconstitutional state code to include and recognize LGBTQ+ relationships. This includes repealing harmful "no promo homo" policies. | Filed |
| SB 111 | Menendez | Updates unconstitutional state code to include and recognize LGBTQ+ relationships. This includes repealing harmful "no promo homo" policies. | Filed |
| HB 970 | Zwiener | Updates unconstitutional state code to include and recognize LGBTQ+ relationships. This includes repealing harmful "no promo homo" policies. | Filed |
| SB 228 | Eckhardt | Extends "Romeo and Juliet" protections to LGBTQ+ youth. | Filed |
| HB 77 | Neave | Repeals the status offense related to voluntarily running away from home. | Filed |
| SB 83 | Johnson | Repeals the status offense related to voluntarily running away from home. | Filed |
| HB 1502 | Plesa | Filed | |
| HB 1627 | Hernandez | Filed | |
| HB 752 | Rosenthal | Streamlines the process for updating name and gender markers on official documents. | Filed |
| HB 1102 | Rosenthal | Streamlines the process for updating name and gender markers on official documents. | Filed |
| HB 428 | Lopez | Establishes a task force to evaluate the housing needs of LGBTQ+ senior citizens and provide safe, affordable housing options. | Filed |
| HB 851 | Reynolds | Establishes a task force to study the legal and societal barriers to equality for transgender Texans. | Filed |
| Good Bills | Bad Bills |
|---|---|
| 48 | 62 |
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