The Texas Senate gave final approval on Wednesday to a measure that would ban gender-affirming care for children in the state.
The bill was supported by the Republican majority in the Texas Legislature and now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott鈥檚 desk for his signature, from medical experts and LGBTQ-rights advocates.
Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, doubled down Wednesday on her claim that the legislation will protect children.
鈥淐hildren do not have the maturity to give a fully-informed consent for such treatments,鈥� Campbell, who is an emergency room physician, said. 鈥淎s a doctor, I am informed, and gender modification therapy is not healthy.鈥�
Gender-affirming care practices are endorsed by the , the , the , the , the , and the as best practices for care.
Still, Campbell and other Republicans have labeled transition-related medical care a 鈥渃ottage industry鈥�, and have even called gender dysphoria a 鈥渢emporary mental delusion.鈥�
Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, called the measure 鈥渢he right thing.鈥�
鈥淲e protect children against lots of things 鈥� we don鈥檛 let them smoke, we don鈥檛 let them drink, we don鈥檛 let them buy lottery cards,鈥� Hall said.
The version passed by the Senate on Wednesday is the same passed by the House earlier this week.
It would ban treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy for people under 18 years old.
However, minors that started gender-affirming care before June 1, and who have attended six months of counseling or psychotherapy before that date, will be able to wean off the treatment with the guidance of their physician.
This is a big change from the original Senate version which would have required transgender minors to abruptly stop the treatment.
Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, said the new version 鈥渓essens the blow.鈥� She still blasted Republicans for pushing for the measure.
鈥淒enying gender-affirming care to transgender kids is partisan politics with potentially deadly consequences for all Texans 鈥� not just transgender Texans,鈥� Eckhardt said Wednesday.
The Democrat also talked about how this also has an impact on the medical community and those trying to help transgender youth.
One of the organizations that help transgender youth is Resource Center, a that serves more than 62,000 people a year.
The organization has spoken out against bills like SB 14 throughout the legislative session.
While the center doesn鈥檛 offer this direct care, Transgender Education and Advocacy Associate Leslie McMurray said in a statement that 鈥渢ransgender youth deserve access to age-appropriate, medically necessary, best-practice healthcare and their parents and physicians should be the ones making private healthcare decisions 鈥� not politicians.鈥�
鈥淩esource Center has advocated for the rights and dignities of LGBTQIA+ Texans since our founding 40 years ago and we have seen firsthand how transgender youth thrive when affirmed in their communities,鈥� McMurray wrote after the bill鈥檚 passage. 鈥淪B 14 is another dangerous roadblock for youth who are trying to live authentically as themselves and we will continue to oppose discriminatory bills that target Texas鈥� youth and our community every step of the way.鈥�
The , which provides community support, case management and therapy to LGBTQ+ people, wrote in a statement that the bill is a 鈥渉armful and devastating setback to our community.鈥�
鈥淸It鈥檚] yet another coordinated attack on Texans' access to healthcare as well as the health and well-being of all transgender people and those that care for and love them,鈥� Executive Director Robert Salcido Jr. said. 鈥淭o our transgender youth in San Antonio, across the state, and nation, we see you, we affirm your authenticity, we love you, and will do all that we can to continue to support you.鈥�
But the implementation of the bill 鈥� once it鈥檚 signed by Abbott, is uncertain.
Abbott didn鈥檛 respond to a request for comment, but on Thursday morning, the ACLU of Texas announced its intention to sue.
鈥淲e will defend the rights of transgender youth in court, just as we have done in other states engaging in this anti-science and discriminatory fear-mongering,鈥� the organization said.
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