AUSTIN, Texas — Before the Texas House could begin debate over a transgender care-related bill, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and supporters began protesting in the chamber's gallery, prompting Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan to clear it.
Phelan ordered state police to clear the gallery just as Senate Bill 14 came to the House floor. SB 14 opponents began chanting and unrolling banners in support of trans kids. Banners read, "Why are you so obsessed with me?" and "Find each other, protect each other."
As bill opponents started exiting the gallery, they chanted, “Trans rights are human rights.” Some protesters were detained.
The Texas Department of Public Safety made two arrests during the protests.
Adriano Perez, organizing director for the Texas Freedom Network, was taken to the Travis County Jail. Perez was charged with assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest and disrupting a public meeting.
Evan Wienck was also taken to the Travis County Jail, charged with assault by contact. Wienck was released shortly after.
Phelan defended his decision to clear the House gallery in a tweet, saying that "rules matter in the TX House" and "there will always be differing perspectives, but in our chamber, we will debate those differences w/ respect."
SB 14, by Republican State Sen. Donna Campbell, would prohibit doctors from providing puberty-blocking medication, hormone therapy or gender confirmation surgery to anyone under the age of 18. If the bill becomes law, doctors who provide these treatments would lose their medical licenses.
Under SB 14, transgender children who are already accessing these treatments for gender-affirming purposes would have to be “weaned off” in a safe and “medically appropriate” time period. The bill would also prohibit transition-related surgeries, though these are rarely performed on kids.
SB 14 was approved by the Texas Senate in early April and passed through the House Committee on Public Health shortly after.
Transgender advocates had been at the Capitol since Tuesday morning awaiting debate on SB 14. Reverend Erin Walter, one of several clergy members there to support transgender children as part of the Texas Freedom Network’s “Just Texas” project, led LGBTQ+ advocates in song.
“We shall not, we shall not be moved,” the crowd sang.
Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas, told the crowd that regardless of what happens in the Capitol, they will vote.
"We have family members and community, 70% of Texans who believe discrimination against LGBTQ people is wrong," Martinez said.
Supporters of the bill, wearing red shirts with the words “Save Texas Kids,” were also at the Capitol.
Moments after the bill was brought up for consideration in the House, Democratic State Rep. Mary González called a point of order, which is a procedural questioning of a bill usually made with the intent to try to kill the bill.
After clearing the House gallery, opponents of the bill continued their protests on the second floor of the Capitol rotunda, chanting “protect trans kids.” Meanwhile, the bill’s supporters held a prayer circle on the first floor and could be heard singing, "Our God is an awesome God, He reigns."
When bill opponents made their way to the first floor, bill supporters could be seen trying to sing and pray over the LGBTQ+ advocates. As chants and singing grew louder in the rotunda, state police cleared the Capitol.
Gonzalez's point of order was effective, and SB 14 was sent back to the House Committee on Public Health to fix a technical issue with the bill. SB 14 was quickly voted out of committee, again.
The full House will debate and vote on Senate Bill 14 on Friday, May 5.