It's like a Deja Vu at the Texas legislature, today, as lawmakers revisit the divisive topic of transgender bathroom use.The so-called bathroom bill passed the Texas Senate in the regular session but never made it to the House floor, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Governor Greg Abbott brought it back from the dead when he added to the special session as one of 20 priorities. It's set for a hearing in the Texas Senate, this morning, and the line to testify is expected to wrap around the state capitol.
This time around, opposition to the bill has been amplified.
In addition to civil rights groups and Texas business leaders, a group of superintendents have voiced their opposition in a letter.
"Proponents of this have grossly overstated how significant the concern is in schools," Northside's Dr. Brian Woods tells Newsradio 1200 WOAI. "I don’t know if you can find a principal anywhere who would tell you that this is in their top ten of worries or concerns."
He says the Northside ISD, like many large school districts, have made accommodations for transgender students, and it's worked. They also make accommodations for students with emotional or physical needs.
The faith community has also shot a letter off to the governor, lieutenant governor and the house speaker.
"As clergy who remember racist Jim Crow bathroom laws that purported to protect white people, we know the kind of hatred and fear that discriminatory laws can perpetuate," Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, president of the House of Deputies, wrote.
But there will be supporters of the bill.
The loudest voices have come from the group Texas Values.
"The Senate has wasted no time in scheduling this critical bill to preserve safe spaces for our most vulnerable, defend businesses, and protect the dignity of our school children who are headed back to school in just a matter of weeks. Texas women, children, and taxpayers are ready to testify at Friday's hearing and we look forward to a floor debate by the full Senate soon," Nicole Hudgens, Policy Analyst, wrote in a statement. "We stand with Sen. Kolkhorst and all supporters of privacy legislation this special session and expect both chambers to respond to the majority of Texans by sending a bill to the Governor's desk as soon as possible."