Arkansas gets its own anti-trans bathroom bill despite Governor’s warning

Despite the state Governor warning that such a measure is not necessary, legislators in Arkansas are working on an anti-trans ‘bathroom bill’.

A one-sentence bill was filed by two Senators in the state on Tuesday.

It reads: “The purpose of this act concerns gender identity and bathroom privileges.”

It doesn’t go into specifics of its enforcement but it does target trans people, dealing with gender identity and issues of bathroom access.

Republican Senator Gary Stubblefield said the bill would require people to use bathrooms in public which correspond to the sex stated on their birth certificate.

North Carolina already has a bill signed into law in 2016, HB2, which had the same effect and more.

Having drawn widespread criticism, the law is facing further attempts to be repealed.

Texas is also considering its own version of the bathroom bill, despite warnings that it could cost the state tens of millions of dollars.

The state of Texas has been warned by the NFL that it could lose future opportunities to host Super Bowls, if it passes its own bathroom bill.

The Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has said he doesn’t believe there is a need for such a bill.

The State of Arkansas also this week wanted to use Valentine’s Day to get a constitutional amendment to overturn marriage equality.