logo
Texas bill would charge transgender people with ‘fraud'

Texas bill would charge transgender people with ‘fraud'

The Hill11-03-2025

Transgender Texans could be charged with fraud under state legislation filed this month that seeks to make publicly identifying as trans illegal.
House Bill 3817, introduced last week by Republican state Rep. Tom Oliverson, would add 'gender identity fraud' to the Texas Penal Code, punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
The new offense would make it a state felony for a person to identify their sex at birth incorrectly to an employer or governmental entity, which transgender rights advocates say would prevent trans people from applying for jobs, benefits or accurate identity documents.
Oliverson did not immediately return a request for comment on the bill, which currently has no co-sponsors or scheduled committee hearings.
The Houston-area Republican has introduced or co-sponsored more than a dozen bills targeting transgender Texans since his election to the state Legislature in 2017. This session, Oliverson has signed onto proposals that would bar trans women from entering public women's restrooms and make it simpler to sue a person who helps with a minor's social transition — nonmedical steps to align with their gender identity.
Texas lawmakers have introduced nearly 170 bills that threaten to roll back LGBTQ rights, according to Equality Texas, a state LGBTQ advocacy group.
The language in Oliverson's House Bill 3817 mirrors efforts by President Trump's administration to both deny the existence of transgender people and equate trans and gender-nonconforming identities with deception.
An administration official told reporters last month that transgender women traveling to the U.S. to compete in women's sports competitions will be investigated for 'fraud' under an executive order signed Feb. 5. Another order states that it is a 'false claim' that a person can change their gender.
A Jan. 27 executive order claims transgender people cannot serve in the military because their identity 'conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gina Ortiz Jones, lesbian and military vet, elected mayor of San Antonio
Gina Ortiz Jones, lesbian and military vet, elected mayor of San Antonio

Yahoo

time22 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Gina Ortiz Jones, lesbian and military vet, elected mayor of San Antonio

Gina Ortiz Jones, a lesbian and military veteran who served in President Joe Biden's administration, has been elected mayor of San Antonio, the second-largest city in Texas and seventh-largest in the U.S. Keep up with the latest in + news and politics. Jones beat Rolando Pablos, a former Texas secretary of state, in a runoff election Saturday. The margin was 54.3 percent to 45.7 percent, according to Ballotpedia. They advanced to the runoff because no candidate out of 27 in the May 3 general election received a majority of the vote. In the general election, Jones led with 27.2 percent and Pablos came in second with 16.6 percent. The current mayor, Ron Nirenberg, could not run again due to term limits. Races for mayor and other city positions in San Antonio are officially nonpartisan, but this election was partisan in practice. Jones emphasized her affiliation with the Democratic Party, while Pablos, who was elected secretary of state as a Republican, highlighted his ties to leading Republicans such as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. RELATED: Jones was undersecretary of the Air Force during the Biden administration; she was the first lesbian, second member of the LGBTQ+ community, and first woman of color (she's Filipina American) to serve in the post. She twice ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House as a Democrat. She was an intelligence officer in the Air Force and was deployed to Iraq during the war there, serving under 'don't ask, don't tell.' After leaving the Air Force, she worked for the federal government as an adviser on intelligence and trade, with agencies including the Defense Intelligence Agency and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. She left government service six months into Donald Trump's first term. In the mayoral race, 'she campaigned on her plans to expand early-childhood education to more children and increase affordable housing and work programs for unskilled workers,' The New York Times reports. 'San Antonio showed up and showed out,' she told supporters Saturday night after the results came in. 'We reminded them that our city is about compassion and it's about leading with everybody in mind. … So I look forward to being a mayor for all.' RELATED: Lesbian Gina Ortiz Jones Wants to Be Texas's First Out Congress Member Two other cities among the largest 10 in the nation have had LGBTQ+, specifically lesbian, mayors. Annise Parker was mayor of Texas's largest city, Houston, from 2010 to 2016. Until recently, she was president and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the U.S. Another lesbian, Lori Lightfoot, was mayor of Chicago, the third-largest, from 2019 to 2023. Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson hailed Jones's victory, releasing this statement: 'Every one of us deserves leaders who value equality and will fight to ensure that we can live freely without fear of discrimination. Gina Ortiz Jones is that leader. That's why HRC was proud to make calls and knock doors to help mobilize Equality Voters in San Antonio and put her over the finish line. Her win isn't just exciting, it's historic; as the first ever openly LGBTQ+ mayor of San Antonio during a time of ceaseless attacks on our community, Gina is emblematic of the resilience, strength, and joy that our community has already used to thrive in challenging times. We can't wait to see her get to work tackling the problems that are impacting our neighbors, families and coworkers and standing up for the rights and safety of every San Antonian.' Evan Low, president and CEO of LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which endorsed Jones, issued this statement: 'Gina Ortiz-Jones is LGBTQ+ Victory Fund family, and we are proud to see her rise to lead America's seventh-largest city as mayor. As a veteran, her service reflects the estimated 1 million LGBTQ+ veterans who have contributed to our nation with honor, distinction, and an unyielding warrior spirit. San Antonio voters made the right call by sending Gina to City Hall, not only making history but selecting a candidate who is driven to make lives better in her hometown.' Jones will be sworn in June 18 for a four-year term.

Scoop: Clearwater snubs Pride, backs faith month with anti-LGBTQ+ ties
Scoop: Clearwater snubs Pride, backs faith month with anti-LGBTQ+ ties

Axios

time26 minutes ago

  • Axios

Scoop: Clearwater snubs Pride, backs faith month with anti-LGBTQ+ ties

After several years of commemorating LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Clearwater leaders skipped the recognition this year, instead designating June for the first time as "Faith and Family Month." Why it matters: While the celebration on its face seeks to strengthen families through religion, Faith and Family Month's website denies the existence of transgender people and defines marriage as between a man and a woman. It dismisses climate change and critical race theory — a concept that links racial discrimination to the nation's foundations and legal system — as "false doctrines." And it attributes that belief system to the American Pastor Project, a network of church leaders with a mission to "eradicate Wokeism from the American pulpit." What they're saying: The city "is making a statement that they don't want LGBTQ+ people to be acknowledged [or] respected," said Wendy Vernon, a Clearwater resident and the president and founder of LGBTQ+ advocacy group PFLAG Safety Harbor. "That's definitely very hurtful to the community when they're already being shunned away everywhere," Vernon told Axios. She also questioned why city leaders didn't issue a Pride Month proclamation in addition to Faith and Family Month, as was the case in Lakeland. Between the lines: Proclamations are largely symbolic and typically requested by community organizations or city staff. Clearwater's Diversity Leadership Council, made up of city employees, didn't request a Pride proclamation this year due to disruptive protests at a Pride event last year, city spokesperson Joelle Castelli told Axios. "It was very uncomfortable for the members of the committee as they were personally targeted," she said. Committee members instead invited their colleagues to participate in the St. Pete Pride parade this month and offered free tickets to a Clearwater Threshers game. Driving the news: Faith and Family Month was organized by Christian service nonprofit Somebody Cares Tampa Bay, co-founder Daniel Bernard told Axios. Bernard said he was inspired by a discussion with Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector, who said he wanted to see a pro-family event in the city. At the request of Somebody Cares, Rector presented the proclamation at the May 15 City Council meeting. His support features prominently in promotional social media posts and on Faith and Family Month's website. "We look forward to … celebrating an entire month with family-friendly activities and talking about how faith can help families be stronger," he says in a promotional video. Reality check: Navigate to the website's "Statement of Faith" page, and a much broader belief system comes into focus. Zoom in:"We recognize God's created order, in making male and female, determined by divine imprint, genetically encoded at conception, and changeless," it says, echoing language used by the Trump and DeSantis administrations to deny rights to transgender people. It goes on to say that pastors have a role "to protect our nation from the deceptions of false teaching and anti-Christ agendas," including abortion, CRT and "climate alarmist theory." The statement is attributed to the American Pastor Project, an organization founded by Lucas Miles, an Indiana-based pastor, conservative activist and author of "Woke Jesus: The False Messiah Destroying Christianity." Rector said the purpose of the proclamation was to encourage people of all different faiths and belief systems to "celebrate the importance of faith and families." Had an organization approached the city with a Pride proclamation, he "probably" would have signed it, he said, adding that he presented one last year. He said he hadn't seen the statement of faith until an Axios reporter showed it to him. He also wasn't familiar with the American Pastor Project, Rector said. "We're not trying to come against anybody or do anything of that nature," Bernard said. "We are just promoting the truth as we understand it."

Trump to keep Starlink at White House despite break with Elon Musk
Trump to keep Starlink at White House despite break with Elon Musk

CNBC

time26 minutes ago

  • CNBC

Trump to keep Starlink at White House despite break with Elon Musk

President Donald Trump said on Monday he has no plans to discontinue Starlink at the White House but might move his Tesla off-site, following his announcement over the weekend that his relationship with Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of both companies, was over. "I may move the Tesla around a little bit, but I don't think we'll be doing that with Starlink. It's a good service," Trump told reporters, referring to the satellite internet company that provides high-speed broadband access. It is a unit of Musk's SpaceX. In March, Trump said he had purchased a red Tesla Model S from Musk, Trump's then-close ally. Last week, a White House official said Trump might get rid of it after a public feud erupted between the two men. The Tesla was seen parked at the White House over the weekend. On Saturday, Trump said he had no intention of repairing ties with Musk. On Monday, the president said he would not have a problem if Musk called. "We had a good relationship, and I just wish him well," Trump said. Musk responded with a heart emoji to a video on X showing Trump's remarks. Last week, Trump and Musk exchanged a flurry of insults after the world's richest man denounced Trump's tax and spending bill as a "disgusting abomination." Musk's opposition has complicated Republican efforts to pass Trump's "big, beautiful bill" in Congress, where the party holds slim majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate. Since the dispute began last Thursday, Musk has deleted some social media posts critical of Trump, including one signaling support for impeaching the president. Sources close to Musk said his anger has started to subside, and they believe he may want to repair his relationship with Trump.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store