A newly proposed Texas bill could criminalize transgender individuals for “gender identity fraud,” making it illegal to list a gender identity different from one’s sex assigned at birth on official documents.
Introduced by Republican state Rep. Tom Oliverson, the bill would make it a state jail felony to knowingly provide false or misleading information about one’s assigned sex to a government agency or employer. If passed, violators could face up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
The bill currently lacks co-sponsors, making its passage unlikely, according to reports. However, it represents one of the most extreme legislative efforts targeting transgender people in the U.S.
This proposal follows a broader trend in Texas of increasing restrictions on transgender rights.
Last month, Republican state Rep. Brent Money introduced a bill that would ban gender-affirming medical care—including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries—not only for minors but also for adults. His bill builds upon a 2023 law that prohibited such treatments for minors, expanding the restrictions to all ages and cutting off public funding for medical institutions that provide these services.
Money defended the bill on social media, claiming it aims to protect individuals from irreversible medical procedures. However, major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, support access to gender-affirming care, citing research showing it improves mental health and well-being.
Texas has been a leader in enacting laws that restrict transgender rights. In recent years, the state has passed measures limiting access to gender-affirming care, restricting transgender student athletes, and blocking changes to gender markers on official identification documents.
So far in 2025, Texas lawmakers have introduced nearly 170 bills affecting LGBTQ+ rights, including a new bathroom bill with widespread support in the state legislature.
