Representatives of some of the largest corporations in the USA, including AT&T, Southwest and American Airlines and Texas Instruments, told a rally at the State Capitol today that the bill to restrict transgender restroom use and overturn municipal non discrimination ordinances, which is front and center in the Special Session of the Legislature beginning tomorrow, would damage the state's business climate, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"Any discriminatory legislation, that targets the LGBT community, hurts our ability to recruit and retain talent," said Phil Gilbert of IBM.
The measure, which is designed to prevent male sexual predators from entering women's restrooms under the guise of being 'transgender' and commit sex crimes against women and girls,' is a key priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the movement and evangelical conservatives who dominate the Texas Senate.
It is being downplayed, however, in the Texas House, where Speaker Joe Straus managed to kill it in the regular session.
Supporters of the bill are unclear exactly how it would be enforced, short of positioning a monitor in front of every women's restroom in every school and government building in the state to check the birth certificates of users.
Police agencies also agree that there is nothing whatsoever to prevent criminals from entering women's restrooms now, yet bathroom crime is very rare.
Gilbert says this bill would destroy key sectors of the state's economy to fight a problem which doesn't exist.
"Such measures are wrong, they are bad for business," he said. "They have no place in the 21st Century and have no place in Texas."
Business groups say $66 million in conventions and meetings have already cancelled in Texas, due to the fact that the 'Bathroom Bill' is even being considered.
Representatives of the Texas tourism industry also expressed concern that their businesses could be harmed by the passage of the bill.
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