TEXAS HOUSE APPROVES BATHROOM RESTRICTIONS FOR STUDENTS

  

Threatened with a special session over the “bathroom bill”, the Texas House took a last minute vote to approve a proposal that would require Texas schools to limit bathroom use to each student’s biological sex.

The House voted 91-50 to amend Senate Bill 2078- which mainly focuses on school districts emergency operations plans- to add the bathroom restrictions.

House Speaker Joe Straus said he believes the amendment allows Texas to avoid the economic backlash that would have taken place with Senate Bill 6 (by Senator Lois Kolkhorst), which would have barred transgender-friendly policies in schools, universities, and government buildings.

House leadership was reluctant to take action on any bathroom-related legislation over concerns of economic fallout, and refused to send Senate Bill 6 to a committee for consideration. However, Republicans in the House compromised on regulating only school policies through Senate Bill 2078.

A final vote is scheduled to take place today (Monday), returning the measure to the Senate for consideration.