Friends,
Many of you have inquired on the status of the Child and Gender Modification legislative priority especially after following Jeff Younger’s case in Dallas. I thought I would provide an update on HB 1399’s hearing last night.
Representative Matt Krause’s HB 1399 was heard in the House Public Health Committee. This Committee is chaired by Representative Stephanie Klick and it has been said that HB 1399 is the only bill on Child and Gender Modification that will be heard in this Committee.
Last night, HB 1399 was the last bill to be heard by the Committee (approx. 10:30 pm) with a good number of witnesses registered to testify.
In the beginning, with the accolades to the brave children and adults testifying, it appeared the hearing on HB 1399 was headed to rally status rather than a hearing. (By characterizing it as “rally status,” I am certainly not seeking to offend. The testimony was more along the lines of emotion rather than facts.) However, with testimony from doctors who were testifying against the bill, Committee members Representative Tom Oliverson, Representative Garnett Coleman, Representative Reggie Smith, and Representative Four Price each took turns asking pointed, yet quite compassionate and respectful questions of those expert witnesses. Their great questions spurred helpful and enlightening answers, as Representative Matt Krause said below.
One witness reported that there are three hundred (300) gender reassignment facilities throughout the United States. Texas has sixteen (16) gender reassignment facilities. The witness reported that she recently contacted a facility in Austin and could schedule a mastectomy for a female at the age of 14. This testimony angered Democrat Representative Nicole Collier. Collier interrupted the witness and repeatedly said she was done with the witness.
Essentially, the above Republican Committee Members were able to show, through their questions, that the safest route for gender reassignment for minors is banning life-altering surgeries until gender transitioning patients are 18 years and older. Not only is 18 years and older the best route but the normal course of business for gender transitioning patients as testified.
Testimony on hormone therapy being reversible was not clarified. There is no medical proof at this time that hormone therapy is reversible. Testimony showed that puberty blockers, on their own, were used for several reasons; not only for gender reassignment, and once an individual was taken off of them, their body’s normal puberty would “kick back in”. Therefore, per expert testimony, puberty blockers are reversible. Hormone therapy is unknown as to its reversibility. And life-altering surgeries that cause sterilization are not reversible.
HB 1399 is a well-written bill. It is very compassionate to transgenders and shows no discrimination that we could find. It merely bans harmful life-altering gender reassignment surgeries and treatments until the age of 18.
HB 1399 has great potential.
How can YOU help to ensure that Gender Modification, a
legislative priority, passes this session?
Contact your legislator and respectfully ask them
to sign onto HB 1399 and vote YES for passage.
The following, as of 10:30 a.m. this morning, have signed onto HB 1399: Representative Cole Hefner – Joint Author and Representative Jay Dean – Co-sponsor.
Below is the contact information for the SD 1 legislators that have not signed onto HB 1399 :
House District 1: Gary VanDeaver 512-463-0692
gary.vandeaver@house.texas.gov
House District 6: Matt Schaefer 512-463-0584
matt.schaefer@house.texas.gov
House District 9: Chris Paddie 512-463-0556
chris.paddie@house.texas.gov
House District 11: Travis Clardy 512-463-0592
travis.clardy@house.texas.gov