Bill Text: TX SB15 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the provision of certain gender-affirming therapy and counseling to children.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-09-08 - Filed [SB15 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB15-Introduced.html
By: Hall | S.B. No. 15 | |
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relating to the provision of certain gender-affirming therapy and | ||
counseling to children. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended | ||
by adding Subchapter X to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER X. GENDER-AFFIRMING THERAPY AND COUNSELING FOR CHILDREN | ||
Sec. 161.701. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Child" means an individual who is younger than 18 | ||
years of age. | ||
(2) "Governmental entity" means this state, a | ||
political subdivision of this state, or an agency of this state or a | ||
political subdivision of this state. | ||
(3) "Mental health provider" means a person licensed | ||
by this state to provide professional therapy or counseling | ||
services. | ||
Sec. 161.702. PROVISION OF CERTAIN GENDER-AFFIRMING | ||
THERAPY AND COUNSELING TO CHILDREN. (a) A mental health provider | ||
may not provide gender-affirming therapy or counseling to a child | ||
to treat gender dysphoria if the purpose of the therapy or | ||
counseling is to affirm a gender that is inconsistent with the | ||
child's biological sex, as determined by the sex organs, | ||
chromosomes, and endogenous profiles of the child. | ||
(b) A governmental entity may not prohibit or restrict in | ||
any manner a mental health provider from providing gender-affirming | ||
therapy or counseling to a child for the purpose of affirming the | ||
gender of the child that is consistent with the child's biological | ||
sex, as determined by the sex organs, chromosomes, and endogenous | ||
profiles of the child, including therapy or counseling to help | ||
achieve the child's objectives of reducing, resolving, or | ||
addressing behaviors, mannerisms, or expressions related to gender | ||
identity or dysphoria. | ||
Sec. 161.703. INJUNCTIVE RELIEF. (a) A mental health | ||
provider who is prohibited or restricted from providing | ||
gender-affirming therapy or counseling to a child in violation of | ||
Section 161.702(b) or the child who is the subject of the violation | ||
may bring an action in a district court in the county in which the | ||
violation occurred for injunctive relief to prevent further | ||
violation of that subsection. | ||
(b) A claimant may recover reasonable expenses incurred in | ||
bringing an action under this section, including court costs, | ||
attorney's fees, investigation costs, witness fees, and deposition | ||
expenses. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect December 1, 2021. |