McNally: Bathroom bill unnecessary after Trump administration’s change
In light of the White House’s new guidance on transgender students and bathrooms, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally sees no need to advance Tennessee’s so-called bathroom bill.
“I think given what the Trump administration has done, my assessment would be it’s not needed,” McNally said Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, the Department of Justice and the Department of Education announced that their agencies were withdrawing a guidance advanced last year by the Obama administration that permitted students to use restrooms for their chosen gender.
Critics of last year’s guidance balked at the measure, calling it another example of federal overreach while also arguing that it would put the safety and privacy of non-transgender students in jeopardy.
McNally said he thinks the latest announcement returned the power to state and local governments to make the decision on how to address the issue.
“I think leaving it up to local districts to handle on an individual basis would be best. They’re responsible to the people in that county or that city and I think that’s handled best at that level,” the Oak Ridge Republican said.
McNally’s remarks are in line with Gov. Bill Haslam, who has frequently said he prefers to allow districts to handle the matter on a case by case basis rather than instituting a statewide policy. Despite the recent reversal, Rep. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, said Thursday he has no plans to halt the bill he and Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet, are pushing.
Their legislation seeks to require students in public schools and higher education institutions to use restrooms and locker rooms that correspond with the individual’s sex at birth.
A similar bill was introduced in Tennessee last year but the sponsor of the measure ended up halting it before it reached the floor of either chamber.
Critics say the legislation would have a devastating impact on transgender students.
Pody said he was “very happy” about the recent guideline that reversed the Obama administration’s decision on the matter but he stood behind his bill.
“I think something should be done. And it will be up to the entire state legislature to make the decision to concur or if they think it’s unnecessary,” he said.
Pody said he had not talked to Beavers since Wednesday’s announcement.
Beavers did not immediately return a phone call. Her legislative office was locked Thursday morning.