A proposed Texas bill aims to make identifying as transgender a state jail felony under a new charge called “gender identity fraud.” If passed, the law would criminalize transgender individuals who do not list their sex assigned at birth on official documents or when interacting with government entities or employers. Violators could face up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine.
The bill, filed last week by Republican state Rep. Tom Oliverson, currently has no co-sponsors and is considered unlikely to pass, according to Chron. However, it represents an escalation in legislative efforts targeting transgender individuals, particularly in Texas.
Growing Legislative Attacks on Trans Rights
This bill follows another proposal from Republican state Rep. Brent Money, which seeks to expand Texas’ ban on gender-affirming care for minors to include adults. Money’s bill would outlaw puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries for gender transition, even for consenting adults, and would deny public funding to medical providers offering such treatments.
Despite these efforts, major medical organizations—including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association —support gender-affirming care and highlight its benefits for mental health and overall well-being. Studies have shown that access to such care significantly improves life satisfaction for transgender individuals.
Texas’ History of Restrictive Measures
Texas has been at the forefront of legislative attempts to curtail trans rights. Past measures include:
- A failed 2017 “bathroom bill” aimed at restricting restroom access based on assigned sex at birth.
- A 2022 legal opinion leading to child abuse investigations against parents of trans minors receiving gender-affirming care.
- Laws prohibiting transgender student-athletes from playing on teams matching their gender identity.
- A recent executive order barring trans individuals from updating gender markers on Texas birth certificates and IDs.
So far in 2025, Texas lawmakers have introduced nearly 170 anti-LGBTQ bills, including a revived bathroom bill backed by a majority of the Texas House, according to Equality Texas.
