Texas bathroom bill sparks heated testimony in House committee

Tensions ran high at a Texas House committee hearing over a bill that would bar transgender people from using bathrooms in government buildings that align with their gender identities.

The Texas House Committee on State Affairs heard testimony on Senate Bill 8, which would require individuals in schools and government buildings to use a bathroom that coincides with their biological sex. It would also limit what family violence shelters, prisons and jails that transgender people can be placed into.

The bill would allow for places to be fined $5,000 for the violation and $25,000 for further violations. There are no penalties for the individual using the bathroom.

SB8 also allows the state's attorney general to investigate claims of violation.

Heated debate

Before public comments were held, lawmakers were already at odds with the need for SB8.

What they're saying:

Rep. Rafael Anchia called the bill an "unnecessary and unpopular culture war."

"Passing this bill is like filing a ban on Bigfoot," Anchia said. "No evidence, no problem to solve."

Lawmakers failed to pass a similar bill in 2017.

"It’s been eight years since we banished this bathroom bill and there have been zero, I repeat, zero, incidents in bathrooms in the state of Texas.

But some, like Jack Finger, who represented the San Antonio Family association, said they have seen it.

The other side:

"I’ve seen it at least a couple of times in San Antonio, and I was tempted to help that gentleman save money on his transgendered operation by physically helping him get there," Finger said.

Committee chair Rep. Ken King warned Finger about making comments like that in the hearing.

"You need not worry," Finger said. "Nothing happened."

The exchange drew audible wows from others in the hearing room.

"You can’t make comments like that," King said.

Another man was met with boos and was cursed at after he finished his testimony and left the room.

"There’s no such thing as trans. There’s no such thing as cis," CJ Grisham said. "There are mentally ill men who think they’re women and there are mentally ill women who think they’re men."

Grisham exchanged words with others in the crowd as he left the room.

Stacy Suits, the constable of Travis County precinct 3, testified that there were no incidents in their office, which is across the street from the state capital.

"We’re not interested in being the potty police," Suits said.

Suit said his child is transitioning to become a man and that he worries about his child’s safety with laws like SB8.

What's next:

Senate Bill 8 was left pending in committee on Friday. It passed the Senate on a 19-11 vote.

The companion bill that was filed in the house had 82 members signed on as joint and coauthors.