New Texas Bill Seeks to Eliminate All Gender-Affirming Care in the State

A newly introduced Texas House bill, HB3399, is drawing significant attention and controversy for its potential to end gender-affirming care for people of all ages in the state. Filed on February 26, 2025, the bill, often referred to locally as the “Texas trans ban,” aims to restrict access to hormone therapy, gender-reassignment surgeries, and other healthcare practices related to gender transition. If passed, it would mark a major step in a wider political movement challenging LGBTQ+ rights across the United States.

The bill, introduced by Republican Representative Brent Money, seeks to amend existing laws in Texas to further limit gender-affirming healthcare. Specifically, it targets hormone therapy, surgeries, and related treatments for individuals seeking to transition. The bill defines “transitioning” as efforts to alter what it terms a person’s “biological sex” based on sex organs, chromosomes, and endogenous profiles. This would directly affect medical practices involving gender dysphoria treatment, which many LGBTQ+ advocates consider essential to the health and well-being of transgender individuals.

Under HB3399, a range of surgeries would be completely banned, including vasectomies, hysterectomies, oophorectomies, metoidioplasties, orchiectomies, penectomies, phalloplasties, and vaginoplasties—all commonly performed procedures for those seeking gender-affirming care. The bill also targets healthcare professionals who prescribe hormone suppressants, such as estrogen, testosterone, or puberty blockers. These medications, often used as part of transition care, could lead to fines or even prison time for healthcare providers who continue to offer them to patients seeking gender affirmation.

The bill would impact individuals across all age groups, which marks a significant shift from the previous legislation that focused primarily on transgender youth. Since September 1, 2023, gender-affirming care for minors has already been banned in Texas, following the passage of a separate Senate bill that prohibited medical professionals from prescribing puberty blockers or hormone therapy to those under 18. However, HB3399 extends these limitations to include adults, effectively eliminating access to a broad spectrum of gender-affirming care for everyone in the state, not just minors.

Representative Brent Money, who introduced the bill, has been an outspoken critic of transgender rights. He has publicly aligned himself with Texas Governor Greg Abbott, particularly in his comments suggesting that transgender individuals should be barred from teaching in public schools. Money has also previously expressed his belief that gender is strictly a “biological binary” and has labeled those who challenge this view as “deluded or lying.” These remarks signal the broader cultural and political struggle over transgender rights in the state.

LGBTQ+ advocates are pushing back against the bill, seeing it as part of a broader attack on the rights of transgender individuals and the LGBTQ+ community. In recent years, the U.S. has witnessed a surge in state-level efforts to roll back protections for LGBTQ+ people, particularly those who are transgender or non-binary. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), 456 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in the first months of 2025 alone. This follows the trend of 533 bills introduced in 2024, with 49 of them passing into law, and 510 introduced in 2023, with 88 becoming law.

Texas has been at the forefront of these legislative efforts. In addition to HB3399, 59 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in the state since the beginning of 2025. These bills aim to restrict transgender participation in school sports, limit diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public institutions, and prohibit educators from supporting or acknowledging a student’s gender transition. Many of these bills reflect a growing political climate that is hostile to LGBTQ+ rights, particularly those of transgender individuals.

In response to these legislative actions, LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations have called for a renewed commitment to defending the rights of transgender individuals. Human rights groups have expressed alarm over the growing number of laws that criminalize gender-affirming care, with some organizations turning to international bodies such as the United Nations to pressure the U.S. government to address what they view as human rights violations against the transgender community.

One of the most significant aspects of HB3399 is the potential impact on healthcare providers. The bill could lead to significant legal and professional consequences for doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners who offer gender-affirming care. Many healthcare professionals argue that such measures would undermine medical ethics and patient autonomy, particularly for those seeking to access care that is considered essential for their mental and physical health.

The bill’s potential passage would likely spur a renewed debate about the role of government in regulating healthcare, particularly for transgender individuals. Supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to protect children and young adults from what they describe as irreversible medical procedures. Opponents, however, contend that it is a direct attack on the rights of transgender people, particularly those who rely on gender-affirming treatments to live full and healthy lives.

As the political battle continues to intensify in Texas and other states, the future of gender-affirming care remains uncertain. Supporters of transgender rights are rallying together to oppose these bills, while lawmakers like Representative Money are pushing forward with their efforts to restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare. The outcome of this ongoing struggle could have far-reaching implications for the transgender community, particularly in Texas, a state that has become a focal point in the nationwide debate over LGBTQ+ rights.

In the coming weeks and months, all eyes will be on Texas as HB3399 and other similar bills make their way through the legislative process. The outcome could set a precedent for other states considering similar measures, and it will likely continue to be a key issue in the 2025 legislative sessions across the country.