Texas House considers removing drag mention from ban bill
The Texas House of Representatives' State Affairs committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 12, which would ban sexually explicit or suggestive performances while minors are present. Its proposed substitutions to the bill, though, would remove mention of drag performances or gender non-conformity.
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas House of Representatives' State Affairs committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 12, which would ban sexually explicit or suggestive performances while minors are present. Its proposed substitutions to the bill, though, would remove mention of drag performances or gender non-conformity.
SB 12 passed in the Senate on April 5. It went to the House, but was referred to the committee after its first hearing. A related bill, SB 1601, is also currently being deliberated by the House State Affairs Committee.
A draft version of the House's substitution can be read below:
Wednesday morning's public hearing on SB 12 lasted nearly three hours before Committee Chair Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, ended the hearing so that the committee could have time to consider other matters and let members attend the House legislative session. The hearing will resume for an additional 43 minutes after the House session concludes for the day.
After that time, the committee may further discuss or take action on SB 12.
Nearly 400 people signed up to testify about the bill, with the overwhelming majority in opposition to the Senate's version of the bill. Some supported the committee's draft substitution, but still felt that the bill would be too poorly defined.
One supporter of the bill, Luke Macias, agreed with this idea and felt that its broad reach would be a positive for Texans. Committee members asked Macias for his opinion on how the bill might affect professional cheerleaders, children's menus at restaurants such as Hooters and R-rated movies.
"Worst case scenario, this bill also happens to extend to rated R movies and theaters, that would be a huge blessing," Macias said. "I think that would make Texas a better place and protect our children."
Attorney Paul Hill, a self-proclaimed drag fan, spoke in opposition to the bill Wednesday.
"Prurient interest is in the eye of the beholder, and what a district judge in Travis County thinks is prurient may not be what somebody in Lubbock County thinks it is," Hill said. "Parental rights and freedom are two things that the Republican Party loves, but that's what this bill violates."
Dallas business owner Silver Gordon spoke from a neutral position to the bill, saying that it was redundant with existing laws. He noted he previously hosted drag performances at his venue.
His primary concern was the bill's potential impact to bar, restaurant and nightclub revenues, an industry that he said represents $200 million in taxable revenue for the state.
"I know this legislation isn't directed at specifically that, but it this is where things like that start," Gordon said, "They employ 10s of 1000s of people in both the hospitality industry and entertainers, none of which, I believe, have any interest in harming children."
Gordon, an Army veteran, said while he is neutral on SB 12, the bill's direction causes him concern.
"I've served in environments where women can't show their face and where men can be publicly executed for being gay," Gordon said, "And those kinds of atrocities, they start with legislation like this. I'm not so worried about this bill. I'm worried about where this will go. This could very well be the beginning."