Gregory Wayne Abbott (born November 13, 1957) is an American attorney who has served as the 48th governor of Texas since January 20, 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Abbott previously served as the 50th attorney general of Texas from 2002 to 2015. He is the third governor of any U.S. state to permanently use a wheelchair. He is also the first disabled governor in Texas history.
At least 2 anti-LGBTQ bills are on Abbott’s desk
With numerous bills targeting the LGBTQ community under consideration in the Legislature this year, advocates have rallied at the Capitol several times during the legislative session. (Photo by Tammye Nash) More bills that harm LGBTQ community are still in play as the 2023 Legislature winds down DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writertaffet@dallasvoice.com andTAMMYE NASH | Managing Editornash@dallasvoice.com A ban on transgender healthcare for adolescents and a measure preempting local ordinances have passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature and have been sent to Gov.
Greg Abbott’s desk to await his signature. Other bills targeting the LGBTQ community have been approved by at least one chamber of the legislature, but their final outcome remained in limbo as Dallas Voice’s deadline approached this week. House Bill 2127 While a law preempting local ordinances may not seem like an LGBTQ issue, House Bill 2127 is actually a way for anti-gay officials at the state level to preempt city and county nondiscrimination ordinances protecting LGBTQ people.
Both Dallas County and the city of Dallas have passed such laws. Dallas County is the only county in Texas to have passed a nondiscrimination law.
The city of Dallas may have unique grounds to challenge the bill once Abbott has signed it into law because the city’s nondiscrimination law was voted into the city charter rather than standing just as an ordinance passed by city council. Senate Bill 14 Senate Bill 14, the ban on gender affirming healthcare for transgender minors, forbids doctors from prescribing hormones or hormone blockers to teens under the age of 18 for gender-affirming care.
