TENT remains committed to providing policy updates and cultivating a network of trans resources with organizations across the state.

Our trans elders built a world for trans youth to receive medical care and community support. We will not let them bulldoze through their progress and our world.

This could affect schools, hospitals, and the relationship that mental healthcare professionals have with their clients.

This harms ALL Texas youth - youth who are not trans also need access to mental health providers. Medical decisions should be kept between patients and their healthcare specialists. Trust and security are essential to competent healthcare.

Over compliance as a result of legal opinions like this threaten the wellbeing, livelihood, and safety of mental healthcare providers. Texas leadership aims to discourage licensed professionals from providing essential care to trans people of all ages.

This AG opinion can potentially impact mental healthcare providers who are already in compliance with existing state laws.

Fear tactics like this are used to push entities to over comply with legal opinions like this one. We have seen entities enact policies and restructure existing policies to avoid any future issues with the state.

These opinions are not legally binding; they do not create or amend existing laws. The interpretation of state law is left to the courts. Opinions can later be overruled, modified, affirmed, and withdrawn.

Upon request by certain state officials, the Texas attorney general will issue written interpretations of state law, like SB 14.

This opinion is a reminder that the state aims to discourage clinics, hospitals, and medical providers from giving any care to trans youth, which in turn, impacts all Texas youth.

In the legal opinion, the attorney general repeats what was written in SB 14, which is currently the law in Texas: public funds cannot be used to provide gender-affirming care, and medical professionals providing gender-affirming care to minors will be stripped of their license.

On February 27, 2026, the Texas Attorney General issued an opinion affecting mental health care providers based on SB 14, a law passed in 2023 that banned gender-affirming medical care for youth in Texas.

TENT is going on tour across Texas this fall to review the bills that passed this session, unpack what it means for trans Texans, and strengthen community for what’s ahead. Learn More: fall2025.transtexas.org

- SB 8 on its own does NOT fine, arrest, or charge individuals accused of using what this law determines to be the “incorrect” facility. The fines are strictly for government-owned buildings. - SB 8 does not apply to private businesses.

Here’s what you need to know: - The law does not clearly describe how SB 8 will be enforced. We can predict that the implementation of SB 8 will be inconsistent, and agencies will develop differing policies about how to deal with “violations” of the law.

This week, Governor Abbott signed SB 8, otherwise known as the bathroom bill - the bill will go into effect on December 4th, 2025.

Join us for our community town hall about SB 8 and other anti-trans bills passed this session on September 3rd at 7pm CT. bit.ly/TENTUpdate0903

We won’t let Texas leaders legislate anyone out of public life - Trans Texans, our loved ones, and our communities will not stop fighting for each other. #txlege

SB 8 would not fine, arrest, or charge individuals accused of using what this law determines to be the “incorrect” facility - the fine is strictly for the public buildings. These fines could potentially bankrupt our public institutions. #txlege

Policing who can access public facilities is a slippery slope into policing all Texans based on the whims of who is in power. #txlege