Bill > SB2723

This bill repeals Section 21.06 of the Texas Penal Code, which previously criminalized homosexual conduct, and makes corresponding amendments to the Health and Safety Code. Specifically, the bill removes language in two sections of the Health and Safety Code that referenced homosexual conduct as a criminal offense. In educational materials and sexual education courses, the bill maintains language emphasizing sexual abstinence and stating that homosexuality is "not an acceptable lifestyle" while removing the explicit reference to it being a criminal offense. The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in the Texas Legislature, or otherwise on September 1, 2025. This legislation is significant because it formally removes the legal criminalization of consensual same-sex sexual activity, reflecting a broader societal and legal shift towards recognizing LGBTQ+ rights, though the remaining language about homosexuality being "not an acceptable lifestyle" suggests continued social conservatism in the approach to sexual orientation.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB2723