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AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott today signed House Bill 1106 into law. The new statute amends the Texas Family Code to specify that a parent’s refusal to affirm a child’s gender identity or sexual orientation, such as by not using their preferred name or pronouns, does not constitute child abuse or neglect. The measure is set to take effect September 1.
Texas Freedom Network Political Director Rocío Fierro-Pérez (she/her) issued the following response:
“This law gives the state’s approval to reject LGBTQIA+ kids. It strips some of our most vulnerable youth of even the most basic protections and sends a dangerous signal: that adults can ignore, deny, or silence a child’s identity, and the state will look the other way.
“We know what this leads to. When a child is rejected at home, the risk of depression, self-harm, and suicide skyrockets. When young people are denied the ability to be called by their name or recognized for who they are, they’re being told they don’t exist. Policies like this isolate children, discourage them from speaking up, and deepen a crisis of fear, silence, and invisibility.
“Governor Abbott and the legislators who championed this bill are not protecting children; they are abandoning them. In doing so, they’ve made Texas less safe for the young people who already need our support the most.”
While the 89th Regular Texas Legislative Session has come to a close, in 2026, Texas Freedom Network and our youth organizing arm, Texas Rising Action, will endorse candidates who fight for every Texan’s right to live with dignity, make decisions about their own identity and future, and be free from government interference—whether that’s in the doctor’s office, the classroom, or at home. We are mobilizing communities across the state to ensure the voices of young people, LGBTQIA+ Texans, and allies lead the path forward.
