Texans Speak Out: Time for the House to Pass Privacy Act (SB 6)!
It has been four weeks since the Texas Senate passed the Texas Privacy Act (Senate Bill 6).
A panel of Texans who have had their safety and dignity threatened in intimate facilities such as restrooms, showers, and locker rooms say they have waited long enough: It’s time for the Texas House to take action!
“The Texas Privacy Act has yet to be assigned to a committee. We implore House leadership to acknowledge and defend those who have had their safety and dignity violated by dangerous policies that allow men into women’s intimate spaces,” said Texas Values Policy Analyst Nicole Hudgens. “The witnesses here at today’s press conference are just some of the many Texans who demand that House leadership take action and bring this bill to the House floor for a vote.”
The press conference today featured the following speakers – each of whom has their own story of why SB 6 is a necessity in today’s political environment :
Dana Hodges, state director of Concerned Women for America of Texas
Sunny Cardenas, mother in Drippings Springs ISD
Nikki Kelton, mother from Dripping Springs ISD
Elaina Dinhoble, mother from Austin, speaking on behalf of Alison Kelly, mother from Fort Worth ISD
David Thweat, superintendent from Harrold ISD, Plaintiff in
State of Texas et al., v. United States of America et al.
Rob and Shiloh (last names withheld), father and daughter from Dripping Springs ISD
10-year-old Shiloh said:
“It makes me feel very uncomfortable to know that a boy could be in the restroom. Even if a boy wants to be a girl, he’s not. He might emotionally feel like a girl, but he’s a boy. So I think bathrooms and other private facilities like lockers, changing rooms, etc., should be based on gender and not what they want to be. I don’t think that a boy should be using the bathroom, even if they’re separated by stalls … I just think it’s not right.”
Hudgens reviewed a brief history of how SB 6 came to be, including the 2014 Houston bathroom ordinance, subsequent Supreme Court action, and a 2015 referendum in which the voters of Houston rejected it 61-39 percent. This was followed by the Fort Worth ISD bathroom policies, and then an Obama Administration “Dear Colleague” letter introducing a set of guidelines which gave a greenlight to entities such as the Dripping Springs ISD to adopt a policy of their own to allow boys in girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms.
“Parents were very upset, they have contacted their school board about why this item was never put on the agenda, and they still have yet to have a vote on the issue,” Hudgens said. “There has been no transparency and no accountability on this issue … you may also know that Trump rescinded the Obama ‘Dear Colleague letter,’ but in that letter [Trump] specifically discussed the importance and primary role of the states on this issue. This is why SB 6 is so important. This bill allows businesses to do whatever they wish with their private facilities, but when it comes to showers, locker rooms, and bathrooms in government buildings and public schools, SB 6 ensures that the privacy, safety, and dignity of all Texans is protected.”
The Texas Privacy Act, SB 6, protects the dignity and privacy of all Texans in intimate facilities in public schools and government buildings. The bill exempts private businesses from local government laws dictating restroom, locker room, and changing area policies. Support continues to grow, including large and statewide organizations such as Concerned Women of America of Texas, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Texas Eagle Forum, Northeast Tarrant Tea Party, Stand for Fort Worth, the Texas Pastor Council, and many more.
More information:
- Six Essential Facts About Senate Bill 6: http://tinyurl.com/sb6Facts
- List of businesses and organizations which support SB 6: http://tinyurl.com/sb6businesses
- Testimonial videos in support of SB 6: http://tinyurl.com/sb6videos
- NEW: List of privacy violation incidents from across Texas: http://tinyurl.com/SB6Texasincidents (PDF)
About Texas Values
Texas Values is a nonprofit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org