TEXAS SENATE TENTATIVELY APPROVES ‘BATHROOM BILL’

  

The Texas Senate tentatively approved the so-called “bathroom bill” Tuesday evening, voting largely along party lines- 21 in favor and 10 against the controversial bill.

A final vote passing the bill on to the House is expected today (Wednesday).

The bill, also known as The Texas Privacy Act, says the use of single-sex bathrooms should be based on a person’s biological sex in public schools, government buildings, and other publically-owned facilities.

The vote came after four-and-a-half hours of debate over the bill’s impact.

Opponents of the bill argued the measure will hurt transgender people and supporters argued that it is a necessary measure to insure privacy and safety. Other topics of discussion included the need for uniform bathroom policies across the state and whether the regulations would deter men from entering women’s restrooms.

Before passing the bill, senators considered 22 amendments. Republican senators joined Senator Lois Kolkhorst, the author of the bill, in rejecting all but three amendments that make minor tweaks to the legislation. The changes do not alter the main bathroom policies proposed in the legislation.