CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The newly introduced Texas Senate bill 1029 could be targeting the LGBTQ+ community. The proposed bill would make nearly all gender-affirming health care illegal.
This bill specifically triggers the alarm for trans youth and adults. Public funding for trans medical services at any age would be prohibited, including both surgical and non-surgical treatments, prescription drugs and mental health services.
The bill will not only impact individuals looking to transition, but others who are undergoing the process.
Kitana Sanchez is a Trans community advocate. She said she's been transitioning for 13 years and if this bill goes into effect, it will impact her tremendously.
"I feel attacked by this bill because I just recently started going to a doctor for hormonal therapy," Sanchez said. "It would affect my medication. It would stop me from receiving the medication that I need to live my life openly and authentically."
The bill,S.B. 1029, was introduced on Feb. 17 by Republican state Sen. Bob Hall, just one of more than 70 anti-LGBTQ bills filed in the 2023 legislative session.
It also aims to increase legal liabilities through malpractice claims for medical professionals and insurance companies that accommodate transgender treatments.
"It's ridiculous," Sanchez said. "We're human beings. I just feel like we should be allowed to live the lives that we want."
In some cases, parents and doctors could be charged with child abuse if they disregard the bill and provide treatment to trans youth.
"Honestly, it's very, very scary," said Sanchez, "I don't think I've ever felt this terrified in my transition. It also affects people who are non-binary, gender non-conforming and other people who are underneath the umbrella term 'Trans.' It affects all of us."
Texas is not the only state introducing a bill like this.
Florida has also proposed banning gender-affirming care for Transgender youth.
If the bill gets passed and signed in to law in Texas, it will go into effect Sept. 1.
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