A hotly contested bill that would prohibit the administration of gender-altering drugs or procedures to minors received the initial approval of the Texas House of Representatives on Friday.
Senate Bill 14, authored by Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), passed in Friday’s initial vote with a 92-48 split.
The votes in favor of the bill include 82 Republicans and 10 Democrats, according to an unofficial early report in the legislature’s online database. This count has yet to be certified by the House Journal Clerk.
Reps. Terry Canales (D-Edinburg), Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio), and Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria) were absent, according to that report.
Reps. Salman Bhojani (D-Euless), Abel Herrero (D-Robstown), Jarvis Johnson (D-Houston), Stan Lambert (R-Abilene), and Carl Sherman (D-DeSoto) were absent and excused.
SB 14 is a key component of a slate of high-priority bills for the Republican majority aimed at limiting the impact of perceived gender ideology on Texas children.
“SB 14 prohibits physicians and health care providers from performing sex change surgeries or prescribing puberty blockers to minors unless medically necessary and requires the Texas Medical Board to revoke the license of a physician who provides the prohibited sex change surgery or drugs,” as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick described the bill in a statement upon its Senate passage.
“Additionally, SB 14 prohibits public money from being used or distributed to providers, medical schools, hospitals, or physicians who provide these surgeries or drugs,” Patrick’s statement continued.
In a statement on the bill released Thursday, the Republican Party of Texas argued, “We must protect Texas children from the left-wing extremists who would chemically castrate and surgically mutilate them for life.”
“In a Republican controlled chamber, this should be an easy task. 18 other states have already taken measures to protect children; Texas needs to join them,” the statement went on.
At the same time, critics of the bill have argued that it denies what they call “gender-affirming care” to transgender-identifying children. Advocates argue that these procedures and drugs are vital to mental and social well-being.
As The Dallas Express reported last week, state troopers were required to clear protesters from the Capitol during a previous round of debate on SB 14, at the order of House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont).
At the time, Planned Parenthood in Texas wrote in support of the demonstrators:
“Texans are packing the Capitol in opposition to #SB14 –– an anti-gender-affirming care for trans kids bill. Enough is enough. We will not stay quiet while politicians in our state place trans kids under harm. There’s no place for hate in Texas.”
Numerous protesters were present at the Capitol again on Friday as SB 14 was debated and passed in the House.
Democratic strategist Sawyer Hackett likewise criticized the legislation on Friday as “a bill that bans life-saving treatment to trans youth.” Hackett suggested further that the majority’s focus on initiatives such as this one may indicate disordered priorities in light of Texas’ alleged “[h]ighest uninsured rate, weekly mass shootings, [and] broken power grid.”
A final vote on SB 14 is required in the Senate after the addition of an amendment in the House. That vote is likely to occur Monday, according to reporting by KVUE.