The bill would require people to use restrooms and locker rooms in public schools and government buildings that match their biological sex at birth.
AUSTIN, Texas — At the state Capitol, a controversial proposal critics call “the bathroom bill” is back this special session.
House Bill 32 by state Rep. Valoree Swanson (R-Spring), known officially as The Texas Women’s Privacy Act, would require people to use restrooms and locker rooms that match their biological sex at birth in public schools and government buildings.
HB 32 would also require inmates to be housed according to biological sex. Also, family violence shelters for women could only serve adult victims whose sex at birth was female.
Public entities would face fines of $5,000 on the first offense and $25,000 on each subsequent offense, along with possible lawsuits, if they don’t comply.
“This is a solution without a problem, that they are working in a way that will further harm our transgender community, and they will do it simply for their own political gain,” said former state Sen. and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis on Wednesday.
Davis was one of several speakers at a rally outside the State Capitol criticizing HB 32.
“I’ve been followed in public bathrooms myself,” said state Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas), chair of the Texas House LGBTQ caucus. “I’ve been told that I was in the wrong dressing room because I didn’t look the way people thought a woman should look. It’s happened to me in this building. So, I know how quickly strangers can decide that your body doesn’t belong.”
Supporters argue HB 32 is necessary for protecting privacy and safety of women and girls.
“I don’t want to undress in front of a man,” said state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) on April 23, during debate on a similar bill filed in the regular session. “In a locker room, it’s not appropriate, public, you know, even though it’s private, it’s public when you go into a locker room and you’re undressing, nor should any little girl feel like that either.”
That bill, Senate Bill 240, failed to make it to the governor’s desk during the regular session after clearing the Senate but dying in the House. That was also the case when this type of bill was first filed in 2017.
However, that chamber has since grown more conservative and opponents more worried.
A hearing on House Bill 32 has not been set yet, and the Senate version of the bill hasn’t been filed. However, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says it will be Senate Bill 7 this time around.
As of Wednesday, lawmakers have 27 full days left in the special session.