Austin television station KXAN reports that under the new law, Texas' counties, municipalities, and state agencies must "take every reasonable step to ensure an individual whose sex is opposite to the sex designated for a multiple-occupancy private space does not enter the private space."
This includes public schools and universities.
Council member Mike Siegel submitted the council resolution, which points to a May 2024 resolution the council passed that says “the policy of the city (is) to support and protect the health, welfare, and safety of individuals who identify or are perceived as LGBTQIA+ through the vigorous enforcement of hate crime and anti-discrimination laws and providing other forms of support."
The new state law allows the Texas attorney general to investigate complaints, and for individuals to sue local governments over violations they believe occurred.
The law doesn't create criminal penalties, but people can file complaints if they see someone violating the law.
If a government agency or school doesn't address it, the attorney general could levy hefty fines against them.
Mary Elizabeth Castle works with conservative nonprofit Texas Values.
"So, what they're doing doesn't violate the Texas Women's Privacy Act, right? Because the Texas Women's Privacy Act is definitely about protecting women in those vulnerable locker rooms, showers, restrooms, where someone can enter and create a threat to them. At the same time though, Austin City Council is proposing that they'll spend close to $10 million to redo all these bathrooms.”
Following the science, as is often said, would be much less expensive.
“This is just a waste of taxpayer dollars because all they could do is simply follow the law and change their restroom signs to male and female based on biological sex. We know that the University of Texas is already doing this and complying, and so it would just be a simple move to do just that,” Castle said.
She said Texas Values sent a letter to all public state colleges and universities detailing how the new law should be followed.
"I have had direct conversations with government relations directors of certain colleges that they took it, they are reviewing it, and they're aligning their policies with it. So, I have received positive feedback that some universities are complying."
She added if someone believes that schools are not complying with the law, they can contact Texas Values.
