As I sit here writing this story I am waiting for The Texas Senate to come on the air on The Texas Senate channel on Spectrum Cable at noon. Today the full Texas Senate will vote on SB6 the “Bathroom Bill” which passed committee last week and was sent forward to the full Senate to be voted on this week.
I have spent the last month at the new Human Rights Campaign office here in Austin, Texas phone banking calling constituents of Texas State Senators that oppose SB6 and actually receiving a majority of positive responses.
SB6 -“bathroom bill”- states that the restrooms and changing facilities in public spaces, public schools, open charter schools, and government buildings should be restricted to people of the same “biological sex.” The bill defines biological sex as the sex listed on one’s birth certificate.
The bill which would force transgender people to use restrooms and changing facilities of their biological sex, also prohibits towns, cities, and other localities from adopting transgender protections. It would overrule any local transgender-friendly bathroom ordinances, such as the ordinances passed in Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin.
On February 22nd, President Trump rolled back President Obama’s Executive Order that protected transgender students in schools and allowed them to use the bathroom that corresponded with their gender identity. In rolling back this EO Trump has made it possible for school children to bully transgender children and teenagers at school but also created a fiasco when it comes to what are transgender students are to do in school districts that do not offer them a private bathroom/dressing room to use. We already know that there has been an increase in child/teen suicide do to increased bullying through social media outlets like Facebook,Twitter and Instagram.
In Texas we already know that SB6 will most likely pass the full Senate and then move on to the Texas House. The good news for right now is that the Texas Speaker of the House, Republican Joe Straus is currently opposed to SB6 knowing that this will have a negative impact on the Texas economy.
In a recent article on digital.olivesoftware.com “Three groups — with meetings estimated to bring $3.1 million in total spending — no longer are considering the Alamo City for their events because of a bill prohibiting transgender Texans from using bathrooms tied to their gender identity, said Richard Oliver, spokesman for Visit San Antonio, the former Convention and Visitors Bureau.”
Richard Oliver went on to say that an additional 8 more groups are considering pulling their conventions from San Antonio that would be a loss of over $19.9 million dollars in spending by convention goers for hotels, restaurants, hotels and major attractions like Sea World and Six Flags over Texas.
The NAACP chose San Antonio for its 2018 annual convention — moving the games from Charlotte after former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed the HB2 bathroom bill into law. The convention is projected to bring 10,000 visitors and generate a revenue of $10 million.
Leon Russell, vice chairman of NAACP’s board of directors, said the organization may have to revisit the decision if Senate Bill 6 becomes law.
“It says to people, ‘We openly discriminate and we don’t mind being recognized for openly discriminating,’ ” Russell said. “That’s not somewhere a lot of people want to come to.”
The NCAA organization’s board of governors adopted standards requiring host cities to “demonstrate how they will provide an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination.”
Business leaders see the moves as an indication the NCAA could pull its Final Four championship from San Antonio in 2018, costing area hotels, restaurants and attractions an estimated $75 million in revenue.
For Governor Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to think that the passing of SB6 will not wreak major economic disaster is just ludicrous. Abbott and Patrick need to take a hard look at the revenue that will be lost in San Antonio alone should SB6 become law.
Also the NFL has made clear their views on this legislation if passed making it very clear that no future Super Bowls would take place in Texas should this bill become law. “If a proposal that is discriminatory or inconsistent with our values were to become law there, that would certainly be a factor considered when thinking about awarding future events,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said. Super Bowls were held in Texas in Houston in 2004 and 2017 and in Dallas(Arlington) in 2011. Futures Super Bowls are booked through 2021 but if Texas does pass SB6 then Texas can be removed from the list permanently.
If SB6 passes and cities like San Antonio that have local ordinances protecting transgender rights for bathrooms, locker rooms and dressing rooms continue to enforce them to protect transgender people the state of Texas would cut state funding from local governments that try to circumvent the state law. This has already been done by Gov. Greg Abbott with Sheriff Sally Hernandez in Travis County because of her refusal to hand over all undocumented people over to ICE, even when they are picked up for minor offenses.
A letter was written on March, 1st by major businesses in Texas opposed to the “Bathroom Bill” on the site KeepTexasOpen.org. I will link the entire letter with many of the companies and organizations that have signed. Here are the major points of the letter:
“Open Letter from Corporate Leaders with operations in Texas
Dear Governor Abbott, Lt. Governor Patrick, Speaker Straus and Texas Lawmakers:
“Texas is well known as a warm and welcoming state. Its business-friendly climate draws in investment and spurs job creation, while its hospitality, friendliness and openness attract people from across the country and around the globe. As leaders in the Texas business community, we have an obligation to our employees, customers, shareholders and the Texas communities we serve to oppose discriminatory legislation that jeopardizes the positive environment for our Texas business operations
- Discriminatory legislation threatens our economy
- Discriminatory legislation threatens Texas’ travel and tourism industry
3. Discriminatory legislation also creates costly operational and legal headaches
4. Additionally, discriminatory legislation negatively impacts our ability to recruit top talent
“We support the goal of protecting the security and privacy of all Texans. We note that several Texas law enforcement officials have said that non-discrimination ordinances have not reduced public safety. That’s why we oppose unnecessary legislation that will hurt our vibrant economy in Texas.
We believe everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, and we are proud of our companies’ track records on creating diverse workforces and inclusive work environments. We stand together to oppose legislation that would legalize discrimination against any group that would undermine our ability to “Keep Texas Open for Business.”
Be sure and read the entire letter “Keep Texas Open For Business”. Here are just a few of the many businesses that oppose SB6:Alamo Drafthouse, Amazon, American Airlines, Apple, Ben & Jerry’s, Capital One, Dell Inc., Dow Chemical, eBay, Facebook, Google, Google Fiber, Hilton, HP, IBM Corporation, Intel, InterContinental Hotels Group, La Quinta Inns & Suites, Marriott International, Microsoft, PayPal, RetailMeNot,Samsung Austin Semiconductor, SXSW, Texas Association of Business, Under Armour, Unilever, United Airlines,VisitDallas Xoxco, Inc. plus many more.
President Trump had talked about signing a Religious Freedom Executive Order over a month ago. I truly believe when advised on this he realized that not only would this bring major resistance and protest but also many many lawsuits suing for discrimination that would end up in the Supreme Court after years of appeals.
Now it seems that Texas Governor Greg Abbott is choosing to take this discriminatory agenda to the state of Texas. Along with SB6 the Texas Senate has introduced 12 more Anti-LGBTQ bills which would allow people to discriminate using the “Religious Liberty” bills and also force public school teachers/educators and counselors to out students to their parents, if not the teacher could be fined, suspended or fired.
As summarized by Progress Texas, here are the other Anti-LGBTQ bills being introduced:
Target LGBTQ Youth
SB 242 by Sen. Konni Burton (R-Colleyville: 512–463–0110) would force educators to out LGBTQ students who are not ready to come out to their parents.
HB 1362 by Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano: 512–463–0594) would stop public schools from implementing policies which allow transgender youth from using restroom and changing facilities consistent with their gender identity.
Override Local Control and Ordinances
SB 92 by Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood: 512–463–0102) would prevent Texas cities and counties from enacting non-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ community and by repealing any local protections currently in place. In most metro areas in Texas with the only exceptions being San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Ft. Worth, it is totally legal for a gay, lesbian, transgender, or queer person to be fired from a job, evicted from their apartment, or denied service because of who they are. Houston’s “Hero Act” which protected LGBTQ citizens was overturned November, 3, 2015 removing these protections.
“Religious Liberty” Belief Refusals Bills
SB 651 by Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock: 512–463–0128) ]expands the definition of religious expression, and limits the enforcement of rules, regulations, and policies of state agencies that regulate business, occupation, or professional licensing. This broad “license to discriminate” bill would allow private individuals employed in more than 65 licensed occupations to deny services to people based on their “sincerely held religious belief.”
HB 428 by Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford: 512–463–0738) would allow religious student organizations to have an exemption from nondiscrimination policies of public colleges and universities if such policies do not conform to the student organization’s “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
HB 1805 by Rep. Scott Sanford (R-McKinney: 512–463–0356) and SB 892 by Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock: 512–463–0128) would allow child welfare service providers to decline to provide, facilitate, or refer a person for child welfare services if it conflicts with the provider’s “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
HB 1813 by Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Canton: 512–463–0880) and SB 522 by State Sen. Birdwell (R-Granbury: 512–463–0122) would allow county clerks to pass off issuing marriage licenses to other certifying officials if issuing that marriage license conflicts with the clerk’s “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
HB 1923 by Rep. Matt Krause (R- Fort Worth: 512–463–0562) and SB 893 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola: 512–463–0271) would allow individuals and businesses to decline to provide services to any person if providing the service conflicts with the individual’s or business’s “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
HB 2779 by Rep. Matt Schaefer (R- Tyler: 512–463–0584) would allow private adoption and foster agencies in Texas to deny placement if it violates their “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
HB 2795 by Rep Mike Lang (R- Granbury: 512–463–0656) would allow county clerks and deputy county clerks to decline a marriage license if doing so conflicts with “their sincerely held religious beliefs.”
HB 2876 by Rep. Scott Sanford (R-McKinney: 512–463–0356) would allow wedding industry professionals and employees to refuse to serve clients if it conflicts with their “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
HB 2878 by Rep Scott Sanford (R-McKinney: 512–463–0356) would allow health care professionals to refuse to treat patients if it conflicts with their “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
These are bills that must be fought and stopped before they are allowed to become law legalizing discrimination. The Religious Liberty bills would allow businesses to discriminate against mixed marriages, LGBTQ, religions that are not Christian based, people of other ethnicities and so much more.
Most of all, who is to decide which “Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs” are the correct or incorrect beliefs to base decisions on? Sadly, so many people say “Christian Beliefs”. The reason people left England and came to America was for Freedom of Religion. That is freedom from anyone dictating what religion (or no religion/atheist) and whose religious belief should have priority over anothers.
Well, after watching the Texas Senate from noon until 5:30, listening to polar opposite opinions from Democrat and Republican senators they have finally taken the second vote. After Republican Senator Lois Kolkhorst, who sponsored the bill, vetoed every amendment to SB6 offered by Democratic Senators the bill was voted on and tentatively passed 21 to 6. One final vote, likely Wednesday, is required for the legislation to move to the House.
To the right is the false tweet by Senator Kolkhorst who obviously does not consider the transgender community a part of Texas! This is why we continue to fight for equality for the entire LGBTQ community.
Hopefully I will be writing with positive news in the next few weeks to inform you that SB6 has been defeated by the Texas House. Cheers!