Texas Bathroom Bill Explained: Who It Affects

In a time when many things are controversial, Texas always seems to stand its ground on those issues. Sports gambling is still illegal in the state, recreational marijuana use still isn't allowed, and as we recently saw, they've taken a hard stance on abortion.

I could sit here and list multiple other things Texas has done that differ from the majority of the country, but I won't simply because this is about one specific thing that recently passed through Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. Allow me to introduce the "bathroom bill".

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Introducing The Bathroom Bill

Senate Bill 8 was introduced to lawmakers, and it worked its way through the Texas House and Senate to land on Gov. Abbott's desk. The official name of the bill is "Texas Women's Privacy Act", and it deals with which bathroom people are allowed to use.

This has been a big conversation because of gender identity. Some have gone through full transitions from one gender to another and thus identified with the gender they've transitioned to. There are others who haven't transitioned but identify as the opposite sex. Those individuals believe they should be able to use the restroom that best fits their identity.

What Does The Bathroom Bill State

Starting on December 4th, Texans will need to use the restroom that falls in line with their biological sex. This is not a bill that is in effect for ALL restrooms in Texas, however.

The bill applies to bathrooms found in government buildings or public schools. Anything outside of those is not included in the bill.

How Will It Be Enforced

This is where it gets a little tricky. If an individual feels the law has been violated, they'll have to file a complaint with either that entity or the school. If they don't respond within three days, a complaint can then be filed with the Texas Attorney General's Office. That could trigger an investigation into the facility in question.

Fines for entities that don't comply will range from $5,000 up to $25,000 for the first offense. Any additional violations will result in fines ranging from $25,000 to $125,000 per instance.