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AUSTIN In advance of a hearing on the Texas House's bathroom bill, the chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus called on the NFL commissioner Wednesday to clearly oppose the measure.

In a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell, Rep. Chris Turner of Arlington laid out the league's prior opposition to North Carolina's so-called bathroom bill, which legislators recently watered down after a NCAA boycott of the state.

"Under your leadership, the NFL has taken a strong stance against discrimination, and you are to be commended for that. In keeping with this stance, it seems natural you would also strongly oppose HB 2899," Turner wrote. "This measure is antithetical to the NFLs stated goals of tolerance and inclusiveness and is inconsistent with your leagues policies."

House Bill 2899, authored by Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, would prohibit school districts and cities from creating policies that would protect groups from discrimination in bathrooms or changing facilities, aside from the classes already protected by state or federal law. The bill would invalidate portions of nondiscrimination ordinances in five Texas cities, including San Antonio, which updated its ordinance in 2013 to include sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status.

"We both agree that discrimination against any group of people has no place in American society and efforts to discriminate must be categorically rejected," Turner wrote.

House Republicans have decided to take up the bill in committee instead of Senate Bill 6, which would have regulated bathroom use based on the gender on a person's birth certificate in public schools, universities and government buildings. Gov. Greg Abbott came out Tuesday in support of HB 2899, after months of remaining largely mum on the issue.

Earlier on Wednesday, Equality Texas, the Texas Freedom Network, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the Human Rights Campaign held a joint press conference opposing HB 2899 and Senate Bill 892, legislation they said would "effectively codify discrimination against LGBT Texans."

SB 892 would strengthen the ability of child welfare providers to decline making referrals or providing services if it conflicted with their religious beliefs. Advocates fear the legislation would allow welfare agencies to prevent LGBT couples from becoming foster or adoptive parents.

Rebecca Robertson, legal and policy director for ACLU of Texas, said HB 2899 would place cities and schools in a difficult position.

"Either they can comply with HB 2899 and risk litigation by transgender individuals and others because of the discrimination that they face, or they can follow federal law and uphold their duty to enforce our constitution and they can face litigation from our states attorney general," Robertson said. "I dont know why the legislature would want to put local government actors in that terrible position."

Also on Wednesday, the Texas Association of Business released a new economic impact study that said passing legislation similar to SB 6 could cost the state $5.6 billion through 2026. Commissioned by AngelouEconomics, the study estimated that such legislation could lead to annual losses between $26.1 million and $52.5 million from canceled conferences and events in Texas cities. Previous TAB projections, completed by business graduate students, were debunked as inaccurate.

Earlier this week, a study commissioned by Visit San Antonio and the San Antonio Area Tourism Council estimated that a bathroom law could cost the state more than $3 billion annually in lost tourism business.

Committees will hear debate on the two bills this afternoon.

lcaruba@express-news.net

Link:
Democrat leader urges NFL to publicly oppose Texas' proposed - mySanAntonio.com