Today, HRC reacted to the news that the Texas House has adjourned its special session sine die without passing a new anti-transgender bill. HRC is proud to have worked throughout the regular session and special session with a coalition of organizations, including Equality Texas, the ACLU of Texas, the Texas Freedom Network and the Transgender Education Network of Texas. Due to the outpouring of opposition from Texans from all walks of life, anti-transgender legislation is dead for this session.

“Finally, Texans can breathe a temporary sigh of relief, as the Texas House has adjourned its special session sine die without passing a new anti-transgender law during the special session,” said JoDee Winterhof, senior vice president for policy and political affairs at the Human Rights Campaign. “We hope that this time, this issue remains settled: Texans don’t want harmful, anti-transgender legislation. First and foremost, these bills were defeated because of the many voices that came out in opposition, saying, ‘don’t discriminate in the Lone Star State.’ Luckily for Texas, this chorus of voices was louder than the voices pushing for discrimination. Yet, we realize that this was a difficult session for many Texans, and several harmful bills did get signed into law. But rest assured, the same eyes that watched Texas lawmakers this year will continue to keep a strong, watchful eye, and if the legislature attempts to attack our communities again, all of us will come out with the same level of force and strength that we did throughout the regular and special session.”

Throughout the year -- during the regular legislative session and now during the special session -- thousands of Texans have spoken out against proposed anti-LGBTQ legislation, including: 27 Fortune 500 companies, nearly 500 faith leaders and 50,124 people taking action by signing petitions or testifying against these harmful bills.

HRC has had more than a dozen staff on the ground in Austin, and, working with scores of volunteer organizers, has been leading field organizing efforts around the state to defeat these anti-LGBTQ bills. HRC has worked alongside Equality Texas, ACLU of Texas, Texas Freedom Network, the Transgender Education Network of Texas and others to defeat dangerous or harmful bills that seek to undermine the rights and dignity of LGBTQ Texans.