Texas ‘bathroom bill’ near collapse over GOP standoff

Abbott has gone against his GOP peers nationally in calling for such a bill, but he has stopped short of saying he would drag lawmakers into a special session to get the job done.

“Despite tensions, the session is not yet over. The taxpayers deserve to have the Legislature finish their work on time,” Abbott spokesman John Wittman said in a statement. “Only the Governor can determine when or if there is a special session, and if so, what issues are addressed.”

Patrick put the blame on Republican House Speaker Joe Straus, a business-friendly moderate who has rebuked calls for the bill targeting transgender people all session. Straus said it was “absurd” how much time lawmakers spent prioritizing the bill and said his chamber would no longer work on it.

“The House has compromised enough on this issue,” Straus said.

If successfully passed, Texas would become the first state with a “bathroom bill” outside North Carolina. Socially conservative governors in Arkansas and Kentucky rebuffed proposals as unnecessary and South Dakota’s Republican governor vetoed a proposal in March. Many states have balked at such bills after North Carolina was thrust into political and economic upheaval over its law, which was partially repealed in March.

The Texas Senate months ago approved a sweeping proposal requiring transgender people to use public restrooms corresponding to the gender on their birth certificates — similar to a law that sparked national outcry and boycotts worth billions of dollars in lost revenue when North Carolina approved a similar measure last year.

Texas’ House let the issue languish for months, then on Sunday approved a more modest version applying only to schools. Under it, transgender students wouldn’t be allowed to choose the bathroom they use but could be directed to separate, single-use facilities.

Tension between the leaders of each chamber could ensure that Texas gets neither.

Straus has for months said the bill would hurt the state’s economy, and he has been joined by top companies and businesses who say it sends a discriminatory message. Hollywood and music stars have threatened boycotts if Texas passes a law, and the NFL and NBA have hinted that future events could be pulled out of the state — even though Houston hosted the last Super Bowl in February.

Earlier Friday, technology giant IBM became the latest major corporation to urge Texas against following North Carolina.

___

Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweber

Paul J. Weber And Will Weissert, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Texas ‘bathroom bill’ near collapse over GOP standoff

What's Trending