AUSTIN (WBAP/KLIF) – Business and tourism leaders in Texas spoke Monday on the steps of the Capitol in Austin about the negative impacts the proposed bathroom bill would have on the Texas Economy.
The bill, if passed, would allow people to only use the restroom specific to the gender on their birth certificate. Activists say the bill specifically targets the transgender community.
Phillip Jones with Visit Dallas said the state is already seeing repercussions of a bill that hasn’t passed.
“We have been able to track 66 million dollars in conventions and events that have already been canceled in Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Arlington simply because we’re talking about discriminatory legislation,” Jones said.
Dallas City Council Person, Jennifer Staubach Gates said state government has no business telling people which bathroom to use.
“I ask our legislators to show their political courage to take Texas back to its welcoming roots,” Gates said. “Reject these bathroom bills. Reject overreach that would prevent city and school boards from making informed decisions.”
Among the businesses present at the Capitol was corporate giant IBM. Phil Gilbert, Global head of Design, said legislation targeting transgender people would be harmful to the company’s 10,000 Texas employees.
“Discriminatory legislation like the so-called bathroom bill is bad for business,” said Gilbert. “A bathroom bill would allow IBM’ers to be discriminated against.”
Gilbert said the bills go against IBM and Texas values which strive on Independence. A special session of the Texas legislature opens Tuesday.
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