Restroom battle may head to the Texas Legislature
A battle over restrooms is building in the Texas Capitol next year.But what state lawmakers will ultimately do — after months of controversy about transgender Texans and which restrooms they use that included a fierce battle in Fort Worth — is anyone’s guess.Already, though, it’s clear that the restroom issue “is going to take on a life of its own,” said state Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth.“It could intensify or slow down,” he said. “It may not be as strict as the North Carolina law. But there are a lot of things that need to be considered and discussed.”The question of who can go into which public restroom became national news after North Carolina officials passed a law requiring transgender people to use restrooms that correspond with the sex indicated on their birth certificate.It became even bigger after performers canceled concerts, businesses scrapped expansion plans and sporting events were moved out of the Tar Heel State, all because of the restroom law, House Bill 2.The issue has also dominated conversations in a handful of Texas cities, including Fort Worth, where Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — who has said the restroom battle should be a legislative priority next year — called for Fort Worth School Superintendent Kent Scribner’s resignation over restroom guidelines.Those guidelines have been rewritten, and the issue has moved to the back burner.