Texas Passes Most Punitive Anti-Trans Bathroom Bill After Decade

Texas has passed the Texas Women’s Privacy Act (SB 8), a conservative bathroom bill restricting restroom and locker room use in government buildings, schools, and universities based on sex assigned at birth, with fines up to $125,000 for violations, making it the most financially punitive bathroom bill in the nation. The bill also bans transgender individuals from being housed in prison facilities aligning with their gender identity and restricts access to women’s domestic violence shelters. This law is the culmination of a decade-long effort, marking a significant shift as it passed with little public or corporate backlash compared to similar bills in the past, such as North Carolina’s HB2 in 2016 or Texas’ failed 2017 attempt. Nineteen states have now passed similar anti-trans bathroom legislation, despite research showing no link between such bans and increased safety. The bill has sparked strong opposition from transgender advocates and lawmakers who warn of harmful consequences, highlighting ongoing political and social tensions around transgender rights. Meanwhile, Michigan’s House also passed a similar anti-trans bathroom bill for schools but with no Senate support, demonstrating varied state-level responses to this issue.