A new front has opened in the transgender bathroom war with the state of Texas introducing a new law that will require men and women to use restrooms that correspond with their biological gender in all publicly-funded schools and government buildings.

LifeSiteNews is reporting on the new bill, known as the Women’s Privacy Act (SB6), which was introduced by State Senator Lois Kolkhurt (R) and will pre-empt laws that allow men who “identify as women” to use women’s private facilities.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick staunching defended the bill, calling it the “right thing to do.”

“The people of Texas elected us to stand up for common decency, common sense and public safety. This legislation codifies what has been common practice in Texas and everywhere else forever — that men and women should use separate, designated bathrooms,” Patrick said.

“SB 6 also ensures that businesses have the freedom to determine their own bathroom policies and that no public school can institute a bathroom policy that allows boys to go in girls restrooms, showers and locker rooms and girls to go in boys restrooms, showers and locker rooms.”

As expected, the LGBT community reacted with ire and immediately threatened with economic doom if the state passes the law.

LifeSite reports on one homosexual advocacy group known as “Keep Texas Open for Business” which released a study that claimed Texas could lose from $964 million to $8.5 billion and from thousands to as many as 185,000 jobs over separate bathroom laws.

Patrick scoffed at the study, calling it an exercise in “fear-mongering,” using “misinformation.”

HRC president Chad Griffin also accused Patrick and Sen. Kolkhorst of “want(ing) to throw away $8.5 billion in revenue from lost visitors, businesses, sports leagues, and major entertainment groups.”

Texas State Capitol

Patrick mockingly countered, “The economic doom? The Super Bowl is teed up for 5:30 p.m. on February 7.”

“This issue is not about discrimination — it’s about public safety, protecting businesses and common sense,” Patrick said.

Meanwhile, the new law has brought praise from numerous conservative groups such as the Family Research Council (FRC).

“The Women’s Privacy Act is needed because the government, at the federal, state and local level, has taken unprecedented steps redefining ‘sex’ to include ‘gender identity,’ threatening the privacy and safety of people—especially women and girls–in showers and bathrooms,” said FRC president Tony Perkins.

He cited reasons why the bill was so necessary, such as the two public school districts in Texas who are attempting to adopt policies that will force boys and girls to shower together, stay together on school trips and use the same locker rooms and bathrooms.

“What we were taught in kindergarten, boys use the boys room and girls use the girls room, has been made old school by liberal bureaucrats. This is commonsense legislation, which should never have been needed,” concluded Perkins.

According to Liberty Counsel, a non-profit legal organization dedicated to protecting family values, putting women and girls in danger is not necessary to protect the rights of transgendered Americans, which is why SB 6 “would still allow for accommodations for so-called transgender students, such as single-stall restrooms on a case-by-case basis.”

“Liberty Counsel commends Lt. Gov. Patrick and Sen. Kolkhorst for introducing the Woman’s Privacy Act in order to protect the women residents and visitors of Texas,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel.

“These legislators are upholding their responsibility to protect the privacy, safety, and dignity of citizens in intimate settings like showers and locker rooms, where persons will be in various stages of undress. It is common sense that no one should expect young girls or women to undress and be exposed to males in public facilities.”

Texas now joins the states of North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky, who have all proposed or passed gender-separate bathroom legislation.

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