Texas governor order treats gender-confirming care as abuse

By PAUL J. WEBER
The Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the state’s child welfare agency to investigate reports of gender-confirming care for kids as “child abuse.” Opponents say the directive by the two-term Republican is a first by any governor over GOP efforts to restrict transgender rights. But the immediate impact of the order was unclear. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services say there were no open cases based on the governor’s directive. Arkansas became the first state to pass a law prohibiting gender confirming treatments for minors, and Tennessee approved a similar measure.