AUSTIN, TEXAS — Today, the Texas House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 8, a bill designed to create bathroom witch hunts for political profit against Texans across the state. This hateful and disrespectful attack on transgender Texans puts millions of innocent, vulnerable lives, including those of children, at risk by encouraging vigilantism in public spaces, all to score political points for Republicans.
SB 8 creates a dangerous surveillance state that would force schools, local governments, and state agencies to police the most private spaces based on a state-enforced, medically inaccurate definition of gender. The legislation introduces steep financial penalties for public entities while empowering vigilantes to file lawsuits against those they merely suspect of using the “wrong” bathroom. Republicans today rejected multiple, commonsense safeguards to protect against false and frivolous accusations and protect victims of harassment and discrimination.
Rep. Jessica González, Texas House LGBTQ Caucus Chair, issued the following statement: “We are all too familiar with attacks on trans Texans, and Senate Bill 8 on the House floor today is no exception. But what is new is the recurring weaponization of this specific parliamentary tactic to silence the voices of duly elected legislators simply for disagreeing with the bill author. Our constituents, our communities, and our trans family deserved to be represented on the House floor. Today, their right to representation was stripped away from them, but let me be clear - Texas House LGBTQ Caucus members will never stop working to represent their constituents, and fighting back against any attacks on trans Texans.”
Rep. Gene Wu, Texas House of Representatives Minority Leader, issued the following statement: "This bathroom witch hunt bill is nothing but another cruel political stunt from Republicans who continue to target vulnerable Texans instead of addressing the real challenges facing our state. While the legislature can do more to get aid to victims and prevent future disasters like the July 4th floods, more to address skyrocketing property taxes, and more to lower food costs and protect Texans from losing their homes due to economic uncertainty, Republicans are wasting taxpayer dollars on legislation that invites Texans to spy on and sue each other. Texas House Democrats stand firmly with our transgender neighbors and will keep fighting against these hateful attacks on their basic dignity and right to exist in public spaces."