AUSTIN (LifeSiteNews) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued a legal ruling stating that mental health practitioners who facilitate the “transitioning” of kids in the state of Texas are “committing child abuse.”
Paxton’s ruling removes any ambiguity surrounding Texas Senate Bill 14 (SB 14), making it clear that not only is it criminal for health care professionals to commit so-called “gender-affirming” medical procedures on minors, it is also illegal for mental health professionals licensed by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council to participate in prohibited “transition” procedures.
The Texas AG’s ruling was issued in response to an inquiry from Darrel D. Spinks, executive director of the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, seeking to understand if SB 14 applied to mental health practitioners licensed in the Lone Star State.
SB 14 went into effect in September 2025.
“The definition of a ‘health care provider’ in subsection 161.701(2) of the Health and Safety Code unambiguously encompasses the professions regulated by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council,” wrote Paxton in his decision. “Any licensee that facilitates the provision of unlawful procedures or treatments that aim to transition a child’s sex are thus forbidden from receiving public money in support of those efforts and, separately, risk revocation of their licenses to practice.”
“The Legislature’s prohibition on those unlawfully ‘transitioning’ our kids-which covers not only any person or entity who ‘provides’ medical interventions, but also an individual or entity who ‘facilitates’ medical interventions— certainly applies to licensed mental health care providers,” explained a statement from AG Paxton’s office.
“Any radical facilitating the ‘transitioning’ of our kids is committing child abuse,” emphasized Paxton. “The law is clear that these radical procedures are illegal and in no world should Texans’ tax dollars be used to permanently harm children. This opinion should send a clear warning there will be consequences for any medical professional, whether a doctor or a therapist, who is illegally ‘transitioning’ Texas kids.”
BREAKING: I just issued a landmark legal ruling declaring it illegal for mental health providers to “transition” Texas kids.
Any radical facilitating the “transitioning” of our kids is committing child abuse. pic.twitter.com/DZ6ds1OPf4
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) March 2, 2026
