A bill preventing transgender individuals from using public restrooms and similar private spaces matching their gender identity is now awaiting Governor Greg Abbott’s decision after the Texas Senate accepted a minor amendment from the House on Wednesday.
The Senate approved the amendment with an 18-8 vote along party lines.
Senate Bill 8, introduced by Senator Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, aims to stop government bodies like cities, counties, school districts, and universities from implementing policies allowing transgender people to access facilities based on their gender identity. This also applies to state agencies and correctional facilities.
Recently, the House increased the penalties, with violators facing a $25,000 fine for the first offense and $125,000 for subsequent violations. Individual Texans will not be fined.
Middleton supported the amendments, stating strong penalties are necessary for enforcing state law.
SB 8, known as the bathroom ban, achieves a long-standing objective of ultraconservative Republicans and grassroots groups. A similar bill was blocked in 2017 by then-Speaker Joe Straus. Now, Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, is more conservative, and the business backlash seen in 2017 hasn’t occurred in 2025.
Supporters argue the bill is needed for the protection of women and girls in private spaces. Opponents, including Democrats, argue it discriminates against transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex individuals. They note no documented cases of transgender individuals assaulting others in such spaces since the 2017 debate.