Originally published in the San Antonio Current. State Rep. Ina Minjarez hesitates before posting a photo on social media of the taco she’s about to eat. Though her Facebook page is personable, and the essence of her personality comes across in her posts, she admits sharing online is hard because she’s an introvert who enjoyed…
How the “Bathroom Bill” Helped Push a Republican PAC to Spend Millions on Moderates in Texas
By Cassandra Pollock, The Texas Tribune May 16, 2018 In September, the Texas Capitol was finally starting to calm down. A couple of contentious legislative sessions had pitted the Legislature’s Republican centrists against hard-line conservatives, largely over measures regulating which restrooms transgender Texans could use. Members had returned to their districts, almost certain the “bathroom…
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Opposed Controversial “Bathroom Bill,” State Legislator Says
By Emma Platoff, Texas Tribune March 13, 2018 Editor’s note: This story has been updated throughout. Gov. Greg Abbott himself was opposed to the controversial “bathroom bill” that dominated debate at the Texas Capitol for much of 2017, according to a state representative involved in keeping the legislation from passing the Texas House. State Rep.…
“Bathroom Bill” Fizzles as Republican Primary Issue
By Patrick Svitek, February 6, 2018 The “bathroom bill,” once touted as a surefire issue for the 2018 Republican primaries, is barely registering in them with less than a month until Election Day. Last year, state lawmakers waded into an intense, emotional debate over whether the state should restrict which bathrooms transgender Texans could use,…
Straus tells business leaders to keep up fight after “bathroom bill” failure
By Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune September 12, 2017 SAN ANTONIO — Texas House Speaker Joe Straus urged business leaders Tuesday to keep up the fight following the failure of legislative efforts this year to pass a “bathroom bill” that many of them opposed. “Texans rejected name-calling and scare tactics, and as a result, we…
SAISD Board Hears From Anti-LGBT Protesters, Votes to Protect DACA Students
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. On August 21, the San Antonio Independent School District board updated district policy to include protections for students or teachers discriminated against for their “gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.” But like a failed game of telephone, SAISD parents, anti-LGBT advocates, and conservative lobbyists showed up to…
Anti-LGBT Group Texas Values Protests SAISD’s Nondiscrimination Policy Changes
The anti-LGBT group Texas Values is protesting changes made on August 21 to the nondiscrimination policy of the San Antonio Independent School District which now includes protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Jonathan Saenz, the president of Texas Values, was the featured speaker at a protest rally with about 15 people in…
After Months of Controversy, Texas Bathroom Bill Dies Quietly
By Alexa Ura, The Texas Tribune August 16, 2017 In the end, the controversial bathroom bill went quietly. For more than a year, Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick led the crusade for a state law to regulate bathroom use for transgender Texans — an initiative that resonated with social conservatives, including many pastors, who backed…
Texas Bathroom Bill Appears to Be All But Dead in Special Session
By Alexa Ura, The Texas Tribune August 11, 2017 Despite it serving, in part, as the reason lawmakers are back in Austin for legislative overtime, the Texas Legislature could very well gavel out next week without passing a “bathroom bill.” With just days left in the 30-day special legislative session, controversial proposals to regulate bathroom…
Growing Number of Corporate Leaders Step Up Opposition to Bathroom Bill
CEO’s from 10 Fortune 500 companies voiced their opposition to the Texas bathroom bill in a letter which was sent to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday, August 3. “No industry will remain untouched by the unnecessary harm that discriminatory laws will do to our competitiveness, to our ability to attract talent, and to our…