Texas
Related: About this forumHouse Appeases Dan Patrick by Passing a Bathroom Bill
In hopes of avoiding a special legislative session, House Speaker Joe Straus embraced what might be called Patrick Lite over the weekenda toned down version of the lieutenant governors long promised bathroom bill. The final acquiescence occurred Sunday evening when the House did something Straus had promised would not happen on his watch: approved a bill that addressed who can use what bathroom. Earlier this year, Straus had called Patricks premier issue manufactured and unnecessary, stating on multiple occasions that he wouldnt not support the issue. But faced with Patricks pledge to force special sessions again and again and again until a bathroom bill passed, Straus apparently decided that retreat is the better part of valor.
When the key vote occurred on the bathroom legislation, it passed 91-50. Straus cast a white light on the House voting boardpresent but not voting. As we noted last week, Straus led the House in opposition to Patricks agenda until a small group of lawmakers known as the Freedom Caucus used House rules to kill some must-pass legislation. That gave Patrick the opportunity to demand passage of portions of his agenda.
The Senate version, Senate Bill 6, would restrict bathroom use in public schools, colleges, and government buildings to the gender designated on a birth certificate. The House version, attached as an amendment to Senate Bill 2078which tackles school districts multihazard emergency operations plansis limited to providing private bathrooms in public schools and open enrollment charter schools to children who want to opt out of bathrooms assigned to a specific biological sex.
Amendment sponsor Chris Paddie, a Marshall Republican, said the public school proposal will apply to transgender children, but also to children who are shy or are being bullied. Representative Larry Gonzales of Round Rock noted that it also will cover children with colostomy bags. But Representative Celia Israel, a Democrat from Austin, said there is no doubt that the legislation was a different version of the Senates controversial bathroom bill. Were getting rolled by the Senate, Israel said.
Read more: http://www.texasmonthly.com/burka-blog/house-appeases-dan-patrick-passing-bathroom-bill/
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