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Texas And Kentucky File Bills To Restrict Transgender Bathroom Access

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick unveiled Texas’ version of a so-called “bathroom bill” Thursday and opponents held an impromptu protest during the filing announcement.

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The longtime 13th District delegate put forward the “Physical Privacy Act” on January 3, just ahead of the General Assembly’s new session, which would ban people from entering a “restroom, changing facility or private area designated for members of the opposite sex” in any government-owned building.

The third section of the bill enhances penalties by one degree for crimes committed in public dressing rooms, showers, locker rooms and bathrooms.

Marshall’s proposed HB 1612 goes a step further than North Carolina’s bill by requiring public school principals to notify the parents of a child who requests to be recognized or treated as a member of the opposite sex, which could lead to school officials “outing” transgender students. Patrick thinks that by pretending he is trying to protect women and children from predatory men instead of just plain ol’ hating on transgender people, he can fool people into thinking SB6 is a good thing.

One potentially far-reaching provision would negate any local nondiscrimination ordinance that can be interpreted as telling a private business how to manage its own bathrooms. Of course, as one might expect, citizens in Virginia are not allowed to amend or change the sex listed on their birth certificate unless they are intersex or otherwise can get a doctor to attest to a similar condition.

Kolkhorst said the bill, which was previously called the “Women’s Privacy Act”, was written in response to the federal government’s May 2016 “edict” to Texas schools permitting students to use restrooms that align with their “internal sense of gender”. In some ways, it could become this year’s North Carolina, which created a furor when it banned many transgender people from restrooms in state-run facilities – and the Texas bill expand on those rules. Texas is estimated to lose 185,000 jobs and $8.5 billion dollars in spending in the state if the bill is approved, according to the Texas Association of Business.

Thursday’s press conference was complemented with a constant stream of boos coming from outside the room, forcing Kolkhorst to pause throughout her address.

He pointed to CoStar, which a year ago announced plans to bring 732 jobs to Richmond.

Meanwhile, state media have settled on the equally obnoxious “bathroom bill” title.

It is primarily liberals and “progressives” that have pushed the restroom issue on America. Bob Marshall, would affect public schools, public institutions of higher education and government buildings. Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham, will have an impact on public schools, universities and government agencies if it passes during the 2017 legislative session, which begins Tuesday.

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But conservatives also made an issue out of bathrooms during the debate over Houston’s non-discrimination ordinance. “If lawmakers vote to discriminate against transgender people, Texas will be closed for business”. Many civil rights groups criticize the legislation’s supporters for peddling what they consider an offensive myth of men claiming to identify as women in order to harass or leer at female bathroom-goers. Governments must require their bathrooms be based on birth sex.

Virginia's proposed 'trans bathroom bill' also requires schools to out trans students