Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is warning licensed therapists and counselors that they must comply with the state's Senate Bill 14, saying Texas' ban on certain gender transition procedures for minors applies beyond physicians.
In what he described as a new legal opinion, Paxton said the law covers licensed mental health providers regulated by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, not just doctors who perform medical procedures.
Senate Bill 14, which took effect in 2023, prohibits certain gender transition-related medical treatments for minors, including puberty blockers and hormone therapies. Paxton’s opinion states that anyone who helps facilitate those treatments could risk losing access to public funds and potentially face disciplinary action against their professional license.
Civil rights advocates have criticized the measure. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas previously called the law unconstitutional, arguing that it prevents transgender minors in Texas from receiving what supporters describe as medically necessary, and in some cases life-saving, care.
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