Latest news with #TexasValues
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Texas Senate Passes Bill Defining ‘Man' And ‘Woman' Based On Biology
On Thursday, the Texas Senate voted 20-11 to pass House Bill 229, known as the 'Women's Bill of Rights.' This bill, which defines 'man' and 'woman' based on biological reproductive systems for state records such as birth certificates and driver's licenses, now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it into law. Authored by Rep. Ellen Troxclair (R-Lakeway) and carried in the Senate by Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston), the bill aligns with efforts by President Donald Trump to enforce a biological definition of sex, including an executive order targeting 'transgender' participation in women's sports. HB 229 requires state agencies to classify individuals as male or female based on whether their reproductive system is developed to produce ova or fertilize ova, respectively. An amendment clarifies that intersex individuals are not a third sex but must receive accommodations under state and federal law. Supporters argue the bill protects women's single-sex spaces, such as locker rooms and shelters, and clarifies legal definitions. 'With this bill, women and girls will know that Texas has their back and will not allow hard-fought rights to be eroded by activists who seek to erase them,' Troxclair said, The Texas Tribune reported. M. E. Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values, a Christian advocacy group, praised the vote: 'The message is clear: You don't mess with Texas women. HB 229 makes sure that the reality and truth of the two sexes is clear in Texas law and never altered by school districts, local cities, or bureaucrats ever again!' Opponents, including LGBTQ rights advocates, argue the bill marginalizes 'transgender' and intersex individuals. Sen. José Menéndez (D-San Antonio) called it a 'form of state-sponsored discrimination,' telling the Texas Tribune, 'If a law forces non-binary Texans, who are real people, into categories that don't reflect their lived experiences or identities … that would actually become discrimination in practice.' Sarah Corbin of the ACLU of Texas questioned its enforcement: 'The question of the hour is how will [HB] 229 be enforced and applied. What we do know is that it's incredibly disrespectful to so many Texans the Legislature represents, and completely disregards their identity.' The bill's legislative intent section, which does not alter statutes but guides interpretation, emphasizes 'immutable' biological differences, noting women's historical vulnerability to violence and the need for single-sex spaces. Critics, like Rep. Jessica González, D-Dallas, raised concerns about intersex individuals and women unable to conceive, arguing, 'We should not be boiling down a human's existence into one's ability to reproduce, because this is harmful, it is dangerous, and it is really just freaking insulting.' Troxclair countered that the bill applies to systems designed for reproduction, 'whether or not they are fully developed, whether or not they are capable of functioning.' With more than 120,000 Texans identifying as 'transgender,' advocates worry about practical impacts. Shelly Skeen of Lambda Legal said mismatched identification documents could force 'transgender' individuals to out themselves in everyday situations, such as voting or banking. Heather Clark, whose wife is 'transgender,' testified that carrying a driver's license misaligned with appearance would be 'untenable,' creating 'ample daily opportunities for discrimination' against her. Texas becomes the 14th state to pass such a law, following states like Kansas and Montana, where similar measures have faced legal challenges. Laura Lane-Steele, a University of South Carolina law professor, noted potential constitutional issues, including privacy and free speech violations, calling the law's application a 'big fat question mark.' Montana's law was struck down in February for violating privacy and equal protection rights, while Kansas' law faces ongoing ACLU challenges. The bill lacks civil or criminal penalties and focuses on record-keeping, but its broader implications remain unclear. Corbin said the ACLU of Texas is monitoring whether it will be narrowly applied to documents or used for wider policy changes. 'If it starts being used that way, they'll definitely hear from us,' she said. A 2022 survey found that 63% of Texas voters, including 87% of Republicans, support defining gender by birth certificate sex.
Miami Herald
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Texas Senate Passes Bill on Definition of Woman: ‘Reality and Truth'
The Texas Senate passed a bill requiring the state to adhere to a biological definition of men and women, a move campaigners welcomed as a win for "truth and reality" and one that protects single sex spaces. But advocates for LGBTQ rights said the bill is harmful to the lives of trans people, who will face greater marginalization and discrimination as a result. Called the "Women's Bill of Rights," Texas senators passed HB 229 by 20 votes to 11, sending the bill to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. "The message is clear: You don't mess with Texas women," said M. E. Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values, a Christian advocacy group, in a statement posted to X. "HB 229 makes sure that the reality and truth of the two sexes is clear in Texas law and never altered by school districts, local cities, or bureaucrats ever again! "With today's vote in the Senate, Texas will lay the foundation for protecting women's spaces and opportunities." This is a developing article and more information will be added soon. Related Articles Supreme Court's Free Speech v. Paxton Decision Could Protect Kids Online | OpinionPioneering Aerospace Medicine Program to Study Long-Term Effects of Space TravelTexas GOP Rep Accused of Breaking Commandment With Ten Commandments VoteTexas Expanding Legal Cannabis Access Before Wider Ban 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Texas Senate Passes Bill on Definition of Woman: 'Reality and Truth'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Texas Senate passed a bill requiring the state to adhere to a biological definition of men and women, a move campaigners welcomed as a win for "truth and reality" and one that protects single sex spaces. But advocates for LGBTQ rights said the bill is harmful to the lives of trans people, who will face greater marginalization and discrimination as a result. Called the "Women's Bill of Rights," Texas senators passed HB 229 by 20 votes to 11, sending the bill to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. "The message is clear: You don't mess with Texas women," said M. E. Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values, a Christian advocacy group, in a statement posted to X. "HB 229 makes sure that the reality and truth of the two sexes is clear in Texas law and never altered by school districts, local cities, or bureaucrats ever again! "With today's vote in the Senate, Texas will lay the foundation for protecting women's spaces and opportunities." This is a developing article and more information will be added soon.
Washington Post
27-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Texas close to requiring Ten Commandments in public school classrooms
Texas lawmakers are close to passing a bill to require public schools to exhibit the Ten Commandments in classrooms starting this fall, a victory for the religious right that critics say blurs the line between church and state. 'There's no doubt about the historical and cultural foundations and the significance of the Ten Commandments for our heritage and systems of law,' said Thomas Saenz, president and attorney for Texas Values, a Christian legal and policy advocacy group supporting the measure. 'There's value for students to have an awareness of those things.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Homosexual conduct' bill advances further than past attempts, as end-of-session deadlines approach
In 2023, a fifth of the country's state-level bills impacting the LGBTQ+ community were filed in Texas, according to a Human Rights Campaign analysis. In 2025, Equality Texas reported a new record number of such bills filed at the State Capitol, surpassing 200 – up from 141 the session before. KXAN's team of journalists – many LGBTQ+ staff members with unique, developed and inside perspectives providing nuance to our fair, rigorous and balanced reporting standards – produced multimedia stories like this one for the 'OutLaw' project, taking an in-depth look at what this trend could mean for Texas' future. AUSTIN (KXAN) — A bill filed after KXAN's OutLaw investigation faced a steep challenge this legislative session but has progressed further than any of its predecessors. House Bill 1738 would repeal Texas' unconstitutional ban on 'homosexual conduct.' The House narrowly passed the bill in recent days, and it now awaits a Senate committee assignment as crucial deadlines approach at the end of the session. EXPLORE – OutLaw: A Half-Century Criminalizing LGBTQ+ Texans 'This law has been unenforceable for over 20 years but still sits on our books as a symbol of state-sanctioned discrimination,' the bill's author, Rep. Venton Jones, D-Dallas, said in a post on X following the House vote. 'I authored HB 1738 because this isn't just about one law — it's about restoring core constitutional principles: the right to privacy, freedom from government overreach, equal protection under the law.' WATCH: Historic House vote, approving 'homosexual conduct' ban repeal The U.S. Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional in 2003, but Texas lawmakers never removed the language from statute. KXAN's legislative analysis shows at least 60 previous attempts to do just that since the 1980s. The most consistent group against such proposals has been the conservative activist organization Texas Values, which has registered or testified 17 times against nine of the bills – far more than any other group. Texas Values Director of Policy Jonathan Covey, the only individual who testified against HB 1738 in an April House committee hearing, told lawmakers his organization wanted to send a 'message that (homosexual conduct) is not acceptable conduct.' 'The position of our organization is that we don't want to pull something out (of statute) that's going to make it seem like homosexuality is more acceptable,' Covey said. Still listed in the Texas Penal Code as a Class C misdemeanor, the measure defines 'homosexual conduct' as engaging in 'deviate sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex.' It contains only a brief notation indicating it is unenforceable due to the Court's Lawrence v. Texas decision, which rendered sodomy laws in more than a dozen states including Texas unenforceable. HB 1738 has had some bipartisan support. Among the handful of Republicans who voted with Democrats during House passage, two are listed among Jones' four co-authors: former House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, and Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
