Texas Senate Passes Bill Defining Sex at Birth

The Texas Senate passed House Bill 229, known as the 'Women's Bill of Rights,' on a 20-11 party-line vote, which defines 'male' and 'female' in state law based strictly on biological reproductive systems. The bill requires all state and local agencies to use binary sex definitions in official records, including birth certificates and driver's licenses, and would impact over 120,000 trans Texans if enacted. Supporters, mainly Republican legislators and conservative groups, claim the measure protects women's spaces, privacy, and safety. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and LGBTQ advocates, argue it will marginalize and discriminate against transgender and intersex people by legally requiring identification by sex assigned at birth. The bill awaits the expected signature of Governor Greg Abbott and would take effect September 1. The legislation has generated intense debate in the Texas legislature over its implications for women's rights and LGBTQ rights.