1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

This proposed bill, HB 3399, seeks to prohibit gender-affirming medical procedures and treatments for transitioning or gender dysphoria not just for minors, but for adults as well. It would ban procedures like gender reassignment surgeries, hormone therapies, puberty blockers, and removal of healthy body parts or tissue related to gender transition for people of any age. The bill also prohibits the use of public funds or state health plans like Medicaid from covering these services. While protecting children is a valid concern, extending these restrictions to adults infringes on their right to make decisions about their own bodies and medical care. Transgender individuals frequently experience clinical distress from the disconnect between their gender identity and biological characteristics at birth. Gender-affirming care under proper medical supervision is often the prescribed treatment, and banning such care for legal adults could be viewed as government overreach into personal healthcare decisions. This threatens to strip away medical options from a vulnerable population based on individual circumstances that demand sensitive, individualized care. Medical decisions should be made between patients and their doctors based on current scientific evidence and standards of care, not through blanket prohibitions. I urge you to consider the negative real-world impacts this legislation could have on transgender Texans' quality of life, personal autonomy, and access to potentially life-saving care. Thank you for your time and service.