Texas Senate Advances Restrictive Transgender Bathroom Bill

The Texas Senate has advanced Senate Bill 7, the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, which requires individuals to use bathrooms, locker rooms, and certain facilities in public schools and government buildings based on the sex listed on their original birth certificate. The law also imposes similar restrictions in prisons and women’s violence shelters, with fines of $5,000 for a first violation and $25,000 for subsequent offenses. The bill was advanced by the Senate State Affairs committee after hours of emotional public testimony, with supporters arguing it protects women and children and critics warning it would discriminate against transgender people. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has vowed to keep pushing for the bill’s passage, following previous failed attempts at similar legislation in Texas. Texas House Democrats have left the state, stalling immediate progress and leaving the bill's future uncertain. The measure has been criticized for prioritizing divisive social issues over urgent state matters and echoes national debates over similar 'bathroom bills.'