Assclown Alert is a San Antonio Current column of opinion, analysis and snark. At the tail end of the recently completed legislative session, Democrats in the Texas House successfully ran down the clock on Senate Bill 29, a toxic proposal that would bar transgender student athletes from playing on sports teams corresponding to the gender…
Texas GOP’s bills targeting transgender children have exacted a mental health toll, even if they don’t become law
As the clock ticks on this year’s legislative session, the House scheduled a Tuesday floor debate for a bill that would limit transgender children’s sports team participation. Other GOP bills that would restrict or punish transition-related health care, like puberty blockers, missed a key Sunday deadline to advance. By Megan Munce, The Texas Tribune Houston…
Texas Senate resumes push to ban transition-related medical care for trans children, days after bill failed in House
Days after the House failed to pass a ban against gender confirmation medical care, the Senate pushed its own attempt forward. By Megan Munce, The Texas Tribune The Texas Senate this week quickly revived and passed a bill banning gender-affirming health care for children under 18, days after a similar House bill failed to advance…
Texas GOP Again Rejects Log Cabin Booth at State Convention
The Republican Party of Texas has once again refused the state’s chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans to have a booth at party’s state convention which is scheduled for May 14 to 16. The state party additionally tabled Log Cabin’s request to be recognized as an official affiliate. “Log Cabin Republicans is the nation’s original…
Anti-LGBTQ Bills Flood State Legislature as Filing Deadline Arrives
Friday, March 15 was the deadline for filing bills for this session of the Texas Legislature and as expected, Republicans have unleashed a torrent of proposed legislation aimed a scaling back the rights of LGBTQ Texans. On March 18, Equality Texas released a list of “bad bills” and expressed particular concern for two bills: SB15…
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick Advances Bills by Two Anti-LGBT Senators
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has advanced two bills in the Senate that would allow professionals who provide health and counseling services to discriminate based on their “sincerely held religious beliefs.” The first bill, SB 444, which was introduced by Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), applies to anyone holding or applying for a professional license. The…
Anti-LGBT Bills Filed a Week Before Special Legislative Session
On July 10, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation calling members of the State Legislature to a Special Legislative Session which is set to begin on July 18. Within hours of the governor’s announcement, two lawmakers filed three bills which would affect transgender Texans’ bathroom use and threaten the protections LGBT citizens have under…
Texas Senate Approves Bill Disqualifying Trans Student Athletes on Hormone Therapy
State Senator Carlos Uresti of San Antonio was one of four Democrats who sided with Republican colleagues on the preliminary approval of a bill that lets the University Interscholastic League disqualify student athletes on steroids, including trans boys taking testosterone for gender dysphoria. Joining Uresti in approving Senate Bill 2095 on May 9 were fellow…
Ivy Taylor Missing from List of ‘Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination’
Nearly 200 mayors from across the country, including four from Texas, have joined a coalition named Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination. Missing from this list is Mayor Ivy R. Taylor of San Antonio. The Texas mayors who have joined the effort are Mike Rawlings of Dallas, Steve Adler of Austin, Curtistene McCowan of DeSoto and Sylvester…
Keeping Track of Pro and Anti-LGBT Bills in Texas Legislature
The 85th Texas Legislature opened on January 10, starting a 140-day work session with a Republican majority. So far this session, 17 pro-LGBT bills and four anti-LGBT bills have been filed. Among the bills proposed to benefit LGBT Texans is legislation repealing laws that are still on the books which punish homosexual conduct; prohibiting discrimination…