AUSTIN, Texas — The 88th Texas Legislature adjourned its regular session sine die on Monday.
The following quote can be attributed to Oni K. Blair, executive director of the ACLU of Texas:
“This legislative session was one of the most authoritarian displays of fear-mongering and government overreach in state history.
“Gov. Abbott and his political allies rammed through an unconstitutional slate of hate that will make our state less competitive, less free, and less fair. Their vision of Texas is one where families can’t make life-saving health care decisions for their trans kids, where students don’t get an accurate and inclusive education because books are banned, and where voters in major cities no longer have an equal say in the local decisions that shape everyday life.
“Texans of all backgrounds traveled from across the state to oppose these vicious attacks on our civil rights and individual liberties. We called on legislators to use our unprecedented budget surplus to prepare the electric grid for extreme weather, invest in public education across all zip codes, and make our justice system work for people of every race and income level. In response, state officials tried to silence our voices, even resorting to intimidation and violence.
“This session will be remembered for its record-breaking discrimination against LGBTQIA+ Texans in particular. Legislators ripped away life-saving health care from trans youth, forbid trans athletes from playing collegiate sports, censored forms of drag performance, and banned books dealing with gender and sexuality from public school libraries. In the face of this needless cruelty, trans kids and the majority of Texans who support them mobilized in record numbers to fight for their lives.
“No matter how hard he tries, the governor can’t stop Texans from thriving — and we’ll take him to court to make sure of it.”
