A Texas state lawmaker has proposed a significant amendment to existing legislation that would extend the ban on gender transition procedures or treatments from minors to all adults in the Lone Star State. Representative Brent Money, a Republican, introduced House Bill 3399, seeking to modify the current law’s language to include adults by replacing the term "child" with "person."
The proposed amendment aims to prohibit medical procedures intended to transition a person’s biological sex or affirm their gender identity if it does not align with their biological characteristics. This would effectively outlaw surgeries and puberty-blocking drugs for all individuals in Texas, with limited exceptions. These exceptions include allowing doctors to prescribe puberty blockers to minors with parental consent to facilitate normal puberty and permitting surgery for individuals born with a verifiable genetic sex development disorder.
Furthermore, individuals who have already begun puberty-blocking treatments would need to gradually discontinue the medications in a medically appropriate manner to minimize potential risks. The bill’s scope is broad, impacting an estimated 93,000 transgender adults in Texas, ranking the state third in the nation behind California and Florida. Additionally, Texas is home to around 30,000 transgender individuals aged 13 to 18, placing it again as the third-highest state in this demographic after California and New York.
Governor Greg Abbott, also a Republican, previously signed a bill in 2023 that prohibited gender transition treatments for transgender youth, following approval by the state legislature. Despite legal challenges, the Texas Supreme Court upheld the law in a majority decision, emphasizing the state’s authority to regulate such matters. Texas is among at least 25 states with laws restricting or outright banning gender transition procedures for minors, reflecting a broader national debate on gender identity and healthcare access.