Equality Texas sent an update on where we stand on three pieces of legislation that passed in this year’s session of the legislature and were scheduled to take effect on Sept 1. Two are on hold and one is in effect.
Book Ban Update
Better known as the Book Burning Act, Equality Texas says, “thankfully, we can put it out of our minds for a bit.”
Last week, a federal judge prevented HB 900 from going into effect. For now, LGBTQ books can remain on the shelves. So, get reading!
Drag Ban Update
The Texas Drag Ban was officially halted last week when a judge issued a two week restraining order. While this order is in place, the judge is considering whether or not to issue a temporary injunction that would prevent the law from going into effect until the court case is over. For now, drag performers across the state are free to practice and perform. See y’all at drag brunch!
Health Care Ban Update
First, there was a big win for trans youth last week when a district court judge issued a temporary restraining order to prevent SB14, the health care ban for trans youth, from going into effect.
However, the acting Attorney General swiftly appealed, and the Texas Supreme Court overturned the temporary restraining order. So the law did go into effect last week, while we wait for the Texas Supreme Court to hold a hearing on a temporary injunction.
We are only at the very beginning of the legal process, and the district court’s ruling explicitly states that SB 14 likely violates three different sections of the Texas Constitution. Equality Texas says, “This fight isn’t over, it’s only barely begun. For now, know that there are resources available to families trying to navigate out-of-state health care. We partnered with TENT and the Campaign for Southern Equality to provide some support to families who are still in Texas.”
— David Taffet
