Texas Senators take up controversial “bathroom bill”

“This bill, SB 6, with whatever carve-outs or amendments, will still be perceived as discriminatory to millions of people across this country and across this state”, she said. Eddie Lucio Jr. – a Democrat from Brownsville – also announced his support of the bill, and two more Republicans – state Sens.

The legislation would require Texas residents to use the bathroom that matches their gender birth in public schools, government buildings and public universities. Lois Kolkhorst, in pushing for the measure.

Mohammadi was born a female, but identifies as a male.

“This happiness that I see now, and the confidence, and she stands up straight and she’s attractive, and she’s so authentic now and her real self, that was worth everything we’ve been through”, Whitley said.

It would, effectively, overturn local ordinances allowing people to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity.

“One was very emotionally charged and upset at me for what I said, and the other, a very devout Catholic, expressed how proud they were of me”, the state representative said. He asked the committee whether its members wanted to force him, a man with a full beard, to use women’s restrooms.

But opponents call the legislation a solution in search of a problem and add that existing laws already cover predators going into women’s restrooms.

Invited witnesses included Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian organization based in Washington, D.C., who said SB 6 would close a loophole that could give men the ability to enter women’s bathrooms and locker rooms.

Rodriguez isn’t the only one who feels that way.

Transgender pastor Seth Wynn said although the bill aims to protect the privacy of individuals, it actually puts transgender individuals, the most vulnerable men and women, in harm’s way. “From the moment she could communicate, she let us know she was a girl, ” the mom said.

Senator Lucio tells Fox he wants to make sure there is a balance of safety and privacy for the transgender community in the state.

“We’ve also lost thousands of jobs”.

North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Wayne Goodwin stood outside the General Assembly Monday asking for a compromise to repeal House Bill 2.

Also in February, the National Basketball Association weighed in on the anti-LGBT “bathroom bill”, suggesting that the state could lose future All Star games if it is passed. North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest championed HB-2 in his state and spoke at the Texas Capitol yesterday.

“What it has cost today is one-tenth of one percent of our annual GDP”, said Lt. Gov. “The objective of this bill is [to go after] sexual predators”, he added. But most of the morning was devoted to speakers who expressed support for the bill, which is backed by numerous state’s senators on the committee.

Many individuals giving public testimony questioned why any verbiage concerning birth certificates was included in the bill. In promoting its passage, Patrick has made the round of national media with mixed results, and intermittently re-framing the bill’s name several times to its current “Texas Privacy Act”-branded iteration from an earlier reference alluding to protecting women”.

Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, who preside over the Texas Senate is pleased with the support he says he’s seen for the bill and disputes claims that a similar bill passed previous year in North Carolina led to a loss of jobs and hurt the state’s economy. He said he expects the committee to pass the bill tonight, or in the overnight hours, and for it to pass the Senate next week.

However, the bill will have a tougher sell in the House.