The bill would create a new felony.
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A bill proposed in the Texas legislature could charge transgender Texans with a state felony if they commit what proponents call “gender identity fraud.”
According to the bill, “gender identity fraud” would be commuted if a person “knowingly makes a false or misleading verbal or written statement to a governmental entity or the person’s employer by identifying the person’s biological sex as the opposite of the biological sex assigned to the person at birth.”
The penalty if someone were to commit "gender identity fraud" would be a state felony, which could land a person in prison for up to two years and a $10,000 fine. The bill is not expected to pass, according to the Texas Legislature tracker, as it has no co-sponsors and has not moved to any committees.
Oliverson did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment on Monday.
The bill, if passed, would essentially ban transgender people in the state from sharing their gender identity with employers, but could also apply to interactions with police or applications for government benefits.
This latest proposed bill is not the only anti-transgender policy in the state. In August 2024, the Texas Department of Public Safety ordered its employees to stop allowing transgender people to change their gender on their driver's licenses and state IDs.
“The Department of Public Safety has a responsibility, as stated in its own name, to keep all Texans safe. This policy does the opposite,” the ACLU said of the change. “Not having accurate driver's licenses jeopardizes trans people's health and safety — by potentially outing us and exposing us to discrimination, harassment, and violence.”
Then less than a month later, the state stopped allowing people to change the sex listed on their birth certificates, according to the Texas Tribune.
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- Dear ChatGPT: What is gender identity fraud?
Gender identity fraud refers to the act of intentionally misrepresenting or falsely claiming a gender identity that is not one's own. This can involve someone pretending to be of a particular gender, typically in a context where such an identity is used to gain some sort of advantage, access, or privilege. This term is often controversial and can be used in discussions around legal, social, or political issues involving gender identity.
For instance, it might be raised in debates about trans individuals, where some argue that individuals might falsely claim a gender identity to access spaces or benefits intended for those who genuinely identify as that gender. However, it's important to note that many people in the transgender community face significant challenges and discrimination, and the term "gender identity fraud" can be seen as stigmatizing or harmful.
The concept is complex, and there are ongoing debates surrounding it, especially regarding the rights of transgender people, gender recognition, and the intersection of gender identity with legal and societal structures.
