January 11, 2017      6:04 PM
Updated: Bathroom politics skirmish in the Texas House as business leaders decry direction of the Senate
Convention business leaders say “perception is reality in our business,” no matter what carve-outs the Senate has planned for restroom bill
The Texas House almost tested the waters
for a so-called “bathroom bill” on Wednesday in an amendment to the housekeeping
bill – a failed change that would have required people to use the bathroom of
their “biological sex” in Capitol bathrooms.
Before the amendment, authored by Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, could be presented or voted on, the author
withdrew it. If considered, the votes could have been an indicator of the fate
of Senate
Bill 6, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s “Texas Privacy Act.”
“In the view of every person’s fundamental interest in
privacy while in a state of undress, the house of representatives shall
continue to designate any multiple-occupancy facility under the jurisdiction of
the house to be used only by a person based on the person’s biological sex,”
the amendment read.
House Administration Chairman Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, author of
the resolution, called a point of order when the amendment was filed, saying it was not germane and argued the Preservation
Board oversees those restrooms, not the House.
By Eleanor Dearman
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