AUSTIN, Texas — With protestors lining the halls of the state Capitol, the Texas House gave Senate Bill 14 initial passage on Friday.
The controversial bill would ban hormone therapies and puberty blockers from minors under the age of 18 and ban them from getting transition-related surgeries.
Republican representatives say the bill is about protecting Texas children.
“I think it’s important for us in the house to send a message to 30+ million Texans that we care about Texas children and we believe that these children deserve to get the care that they need… mental health assistance," said Rep. Tony Tinderholdt (R-District 94).
“We are the ones protecting children. It’s the state legislature that’s decided to try to hurt them," said Rep. Julie Johnson (D-District 114).
Houston-area transgender activist Eden Rose Torres has gone to the capitol herself to speak up for trans youth and the community.
“Watching this legislative session play out has been alarming, scary, dehumanizing and sad," she said. “If gender affirming care was taken away, that leaves children not able to thrive and live to the fullest extent of their ability.”
Rose Torres says she uses her own journey as an example.
"If I had access to gender affirming care and puberty blockers, I wouldn't have had to go through a masculinizing puberty," she said. "That's important because society puts such an emphasis on 'passability' of trans people, whether we care about that or not."
Democratic Rep. Shawn Thierry, who oversees Houston's District 146, issued a statement on Twitter about her vote to approve SB 14, saying in part, "Democrats and Republicans alike, have routinely enacted legislation which shields children from acts which place them at an increased risk of harm… This principle is established in many areas of public health policy…This same logic must also apply when approaching the very complex issue of treating gender and body dysphoria in children.”
But Rose Torres says she doesn't know what's next for those who would be impacted by the bill.
"I think it's going to be a little bit of mayhem for a while," she said. “Organizations that are part of the Equality Coalition, they will be releasing resources for people to seek care in whatever way that means legally within the state.”
The House is set to give its final vote on the bill on Monday, sending it back to the Senate.