House Democrats Successfully Repeal ‘Untransition’ Bill, But Two LGBT Bills Dropped

As Thursday evening turned to Friday morning, a deadline was marked for the ground floor of Texas House. Those that did not pass the secondary inspection were voided for the remainder of the session.

One of those victims was Rep. Jeff Leach (Republican, Plano). House Bill (HB) 3502 Insurers covering gender change procedures would then have had to financially cover “detransition” treatments and their ramifications as well.

Leach’s bill, which appeared on page 14 of 16 on Wednesday’s calendar, was postponed to Thursday due to the slow movement of the body. calendar He died without a body.

As the evening progressed, it became clear that the chances of a vote on the bill were fading. Democrats’ “chubbing”—a term for wasting time by prolonging debates and demanding turns—prolonged the day’s debates and votes. gambling A bill and many bills that followed.

In the final half hour before midnight, it became clear that HB 3502 was within reach of Republicans, but still in danger. House Speaker Dade Phelan (Republican, Beaumont) began to speed up his efforts to pass the bill, and Democratic enthusiasm slowed.

With two minutes left on Mr. Leach’s bill, a bill by Rep. Terry Leo Wilson became the point of the Democrats’ mandate, making it nearly impossible to get to HB 3502 in time. When Mr. Leach was summoned to introduce the bill, Democrats asked the time on the microphone behind them as the clock struck midnight. Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston) then gave instructions that the deadline had passed.

A point of order is a procedural measure found in the Texas House of Representatives rule that is often used to defeat a bill if legislators find a mistake.

It was a relatively solitary point in the drama in an unusually calm Night of Deadlines.

“I regret that Democrats have worked so hard to delay and repeal my bill that provides the security and care that Texans need,” Leach said. Texan. “We thank countless people, including many de-transitioners, for having the courage to speak out and help us pass this bill. Even if the maneuver successfully crushes it, I will continue to work tirelessly on other legislative instruments and opportunities during the remainder of the session to try to bring this matter to the governor’s desk.”

But it wasn’t just Leach’s bill that was squashed by Democrat agitation, two notable Democratic bills were left hanging in the HB 3502 thread due to calendar placement.

Rep. Benton Jones (D-Dallas) HB2055 — Repeal of state unenforced “sodomy bans” — and Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint) HB1762 An extension of “The Law of Romeo and Juliet” to an adolescent homosexual couple, both of whom died.

The latter law already protects heterosexual adolescent couples with an age difference of three years or less from laws on “lewd acts against children.”

Behind these bills were seven more pages of bills, all of which were repealed at midnight.

After that, Mr. Jones Said Of his bill, “the bill had strong bipartisan support on both sides of the ideology, but it was too long on the House’s agenda to be considered by the deadline.”

“I am disappointed that this impactful bill did not pass the House, but the bill did not pass. I am proud of the progress made on this bill in the 88th Congress.”

Representative Trey Martinez Fisher (D-San Antonio), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said: Texan “We all know it’s a risk if the bill is on the last day of the calendar. Don’t get upset about it.”

“We learned in the third session that using the proposed amendments is a better strategy than the bills, without having to go through the entire committee process.”

Asked if it was intentional for Mr. Leach’s bills to expire at midnight that same day, he quipped: “Do you think we’re so lucky, or do you think it’s such a good thing?” .

Being a minority, repealing bills is often the most effective way to influence Democratic policy, and Martinez Fischer has long done so. House Democrats won, but lost their own score by two points.