John,

The right's cruel legislative attack on transgender Texans is picking up steam, and this week anti-equality lawmakers are using a familiar tactic: pushing a bill that tries to twist religious freedom into a license to disciminate.

On Wednesday the Texas House Public Health Committee will hear public testimony on HB 1424, which would allow health care providers and employees to use religion as a justification for refusing to participate, “directly or indirectly,” in medical care they object to. Such a sweeping bill is clearly aimed at transgender and other LGBTQ people who already face discrimination when accessing health care.

This is part of a years-long effort to carve out special exemptions in the law allowing individuals and businesses to use religion as a legal justification for discriminating against people whose lives they object to. We have seen one such bill after another since shortly before the Supreme Court struck down bans on same-sex marriage in 2015. And while the targets of these bills typically are LGBTQ Texans, everybody would be subject to a someone else's moral test when they seek services and even medical care.

This is just one of several religious exemption bills moving in the Legisalture right now. But the attacks on transgender Texans don't stop there.

The Public Health Committee will also hear testimony Wednesday on HB 1399, which would ban gender-affirming, medically recommended health care for transgender youth. And this comes after similar bills have moved in the Senate -- including one that brands as criminal abusers any parents who consent to such care for their transgender child and another that effectively bans transgender students from school sports.

Discrimination cynically cloaked as religious freedom. Health care and sports bans. Branding loving parents as abusers. It's all shockingly cruel.

You can take action against HB 1424 and HB 1399 right now by contacting committee members:

In-Person Action
If you are have been fully vaccinated against COVID or otherwise are comfortable going to the hearing, you can also testify against HB 1424 and HB 1399 in person. The hearing will take place starting at 8 a.m., Wednesday, in room JHR 140 in the Reagan Building, 1400 Congress, near the Capitol. This guide provides instructions for registering to testify.

In the fight,

Sonja Miller
Outreach & Faith Director

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