LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The future of where transgender Arkansas students go to the bathroom was heard on Wednesday in a packed Senate committee meeting in Little Rock.
While House Bill 1156 (HB1156) eventually passed out of that committee and it wasn't without some opposition.
"The bill protects all students by going to the bathroom of your gender, which would be listed on one's birth certificate," Bill Sponsor and State Sen. Dan Sullivan, (R) - Jonesboro, said.
That bill also limits where transgender students can sleep on school trips. However, in the committee meeting, many focused on the bathroom aspect.
"The message, I think, is pretty clear, that boys should go to boy's bathrooms and girls go to girl's bathrooms," Sullivan said. "Based on your sex at birth."
Of course, not everyone agrees with the proposed bill.
"Just because one thing is one that we'd like to hold onto as black and white, doesn't mean it exists," Lance LeVar said. "This hurts kids. I've seen it. I've watched them."
That also includes other senators.
"I really feel that this policy is misguided, unnecessary, and it's going to be far more disruptive than just allowing kids to be kids," State Sen. Greg Leding, (D) - Fayetteville, said.
Leding said penalties for not enforcing this also stand out to him in that there's confusion on how enforcement would work.
"That's why we're leaving that up to the school," Sullivan said. "The school will have training for their staff on how to measure this and how to mandate it... all schools are different, and all schools will have a different approach. The important part is all schools are accountable with the law."
If the bill were to pass, fines at a minimum of $1,000 would be issued for those who refuse to enforce it.
"This bill includes penalties for school district administrators who don't comply with this," Leding said. "Yet we're not telling them how to enforce this piece of controversial legislation."
Up next, HB1156 heads to the Senate floor at 11 a.m. on Thursday.
"It's a way to make all of our kids safe, and allow our school districts to focus on educating our students," Bill Co-Sponsor State Rep. Mary Bentley, (R) - Perryville, said.