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PUBLIC COMMENTS HB 1424 HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH Hearing Date: April 14, 2021 8:00 AM Samantha Chang Self Austin, TX I wanted to let you know that I adamantly oppose two bills being heard in the Public Health Committee: House Bill 1399 and House Bill 1424, both of which would place huge barriers between transgender Texans and healthcare. Gender-affirming care is life-saving care, and the about on whether or not a transgender child will start transitioning medically is one that needs to be made by the child, their parent(s), and their doctor; not state legislators. Further, religion should not be twisted into a tool to excuse doctors from doing their jobs and serving all Texans equally, as HB 1424 would do. I urge the Representative to vote against both HB 1399 and 1424. Kristin McGarity self - composer/audio engineer Kyle, TX I last testified before the Legislature in 2019, advocating for access to a particular form of medical treatment that is stigmatized yet essential for many individuals. I know what it's like to be one of a minority of people helped by a controversial medical treatment. It is wrong to deny medically necessary care merely because one person's medical necessity conflicts with another person's personal belief. Since many Texans already have spotty access to health care, this bill could bar entire geographic areas from accessing necessary medications, procedures, and therapies. The bill makes no attempt to clarify which treatments might be denied, or which personal beliefs might be included. The ambiguity of this wording leaves millions of Texans vulnerable to potential medical abuse. Cyral Miller, Mrs. self Austin, TX My name is Cyral Miller. I live in Austin. My zip code is 78756 I wanted to let you know that I adamantly oppose two bills being heard in the Public Health Committee: House Bill 1399 and House Bill 1424, both of which would place huge barriers between transgender Texans and healthcare. Gender-affirming care is life-saving care, and the about on whether or not a transgender child will start transitioning medically is one that needs to be made by the child, their parent(s), and their doctor; not state legislators. Further, religion should not be twisted into a tool to excuse doctors from doing their jobs and serving all Texans equally, as HB 1424 would do. I urge the Representative to vote against both HB 1399 and 1424. Thomas Harkins Self/Lawyer Fort Worth, TX In our democratic society, and particularly under the rights and privileges deemed important enough to be included in our national and State Constitutions, it is almost beyond belief that people could be compelled to act in violation of their ethical, moral, or Printed on: May 12, 2021 6:59 PM Page 1 of 91 and State Constitutions, it is almost beyond belief that people could be compelled to act in violation of their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. Particularly so when this involves a health care provider having to engage in surgeries that he/she believes constitute murders like abortions or extreme life-altering events such as gender change. Please support the bill which would protect against such involuntary-servitude-type compulsion. Kelli Hlavenka Self Terrell, TX A health care provider's right to object to participation in a medical procedure that violates the provider's ethical, moral, or religious beliefs should be protected! Please vote accordingly! Thank you for your service. Terry Senne, Ph.D. Retired, Higher Education Administrator Denton, TX To the Committee on Public Health for Pro-Life Priority Bills: This letter is to verify my strong support for HB 1424 to protect Pro-Life doctors from being forced to participate in life-ending procedures. Further, I strongly support other health care providers’ rights to refuse to participate in any type of medical procedure that violates the provider’s ethical, moral, and or religious beliefs. This Bill needs to be passed now. Sincerely, Terry A. Senne, Ph.D. Ellen Klipp self - retired school teacher Cedar Park, TX Every health care worker should be allowed to object to participation in a medical procedure that violates the provider's ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. Steve Wederski Self San Antonio, TX When my child first determined that she was assigned the wrong gender at birth, she struggled with how to express the thought to us, her parents. Even though we had raised her to be an open-minded person, she was worried that our reaction would be negative. She was worried because the typical reaction to transgender people is negative. The concept upsets many people and disgusts others. But truthfully, transgender people have existed for as long as we have written documentation of the past. The reality is that there is no shame in being transgender. There is no evil involved in being transgender. A person’s gender identity and expression are something only they can understand. Just like we know and understand ourselves, our transgender children should have the ability to know and understand themselves. They should be free to live their lives as the person who they are in their heart. If that means that their outward appearance must change, so be it. Another human being transgender has no affect on someone else, and their existence doesn’t cause problems for other people. The people who have problems with transgender people have a privileged experience being satisfied with their gender that was assigned at birth. Now imagine that you knew in your mind that somehow you were born the opposite gender. Or that you felt like you are the opposite gender but everyone else thinks of you as the wrong gender. You would feel out of place, wrong, maybe even ashamed or angry. Those are all emotions that transgender people carry with them all day everyday because our society hasn’t “allowed” trans people to exist openly. The truth is that they exist whether they have rights and protections or not. Knowing that people exist who are being denied basic rights in America is unpatriotic. True patriotism calls us to act to support all people in America - no matter who they are, which Printed on: May 12, 2021 6:59 PM Page 2 of 91 rights in America is unpatriotic. True patriotism calls us to act to support all people in America - no matter who they are, which religion they practice (or don’t), what they look like, or where they have come from. We are all just people. We are all people who live in America, and we all deserve to be equal. Preston Knight Self Mansfield, TX As a gay man I should not fear that if I am unconscious in a car accident that the medical provider I am taken to can just say "no, I don't help gay men". That is wrong on even the most basic human levels. I hope you represent Texans and the values of Texans who would never leave a fellow Texan to die. Paula Moore my family San Antonio, TX Our religious and moral beliefs should not be violated. Justin Robertson self software engineer Pflugerville, TX Since abortions can only be performed at specialized clinics, I would imagine that the professionals working there knew what they were signing up ahead of time. So it strikes me as odd that this bill would even need to exist, unless it is just a sad attempt at pretending to do something about unwanted pregnancies. Let us just hope that if this poorly written bill becomes law and someday you find yourself in critical need of medical attention at a hospital, the doctors and nurses don't have a religious belief that its the good lords time for calling you home and simply let you die. Linda Armijo Myself Duncanville, TX I support this bill. No medical practitioner should be forced to go against their oath to do no harm, especially if the medical procedure also goes against their religious beliefs. They should have the right to object without being in any way punished, harassed, or in any way intimidated by their employers or coworkers. Katie Raneh Self - program specialist Bastrop, TX I oppose this bill. Amber Gogle Self, unemployed Pearland, TX Printed on: May 12, 2021 6:59 PM Page 3 of 91 This bill is antithetical to the concept of the Hippocratic oath and turns a doctor from a heroic professional who saves and improves lives into someone with power easily abused by god complexes and bigotry. It is painfully transparent that this bill exists specifically as a detriment to marginalized groups such as women and transgender individuals, and gives misogynist and transphobic doctors, who already deserve to have their medical licenses rescinded by sheer inability to express the compassion required to save lives, an excuse to deny care that can save lives, improve quality of life, and benefit the wellbeing of a patient. I am urging all involved to leave this bill, and the bigotry it enables, in the trash where it belongs. Anne Newman self BOERNE, TX Please make sure this bill passes. Thank you. Darren Meyer, MD Association of American Physicians and Surgeons McKinney, TX My name is Darren Meyer. I am a psychiatrist in McKinney. I am in favor of HB 1424. I have been asked many times by patients to refer for/recommend treatments that I find both medically and ethically contrary to that person's best interest. Please consider: It is right and reasonable to broaden existing ethical and moral exemptions. Texas already recognizes the right of individuals to opt out of participating in an abortion.

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