Rockwall Leaders To Debate Proposed Bathroom Law
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ROCKWALL (CBSDFW.COM) - The City of Rockwall is bringing the bathroom debate to North Texas. This hot topic is set to be on the agenda for city leaders to discuss on Monday night. Officials will be weighing a proposed ordinance that some say protects children, while others argue that it is discriminating against the LGBT community.
Mayor Jim Pruitt proposed the controversial law. It would require people to use the bathroom that corresponds to their sex at birth, not the sex which they identify with as an adult. Those who violate the law would face a fine of up to $500.
The transgender community says that the proposed law discriminates against them, forcing them to pay for using the facilities which make them feel most comfortable. Similar laws in North Carolina have driven some businesses out of the state.
However, the Mayor calls this a common sense law, designed to prevent child predators from entering restrooms, not to single out members of the transgender community. Pruitt does not believe that business in Rockwall will be affected by the law.
A state lawmaker from Plano said that this discussion should not even be happening at the city level -- this is a state issue. He may propose a statewide ban to stop such debates from taking place at City Hall again in the future. The Rockwall City Council meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. on Monday.
But even before the meeting, people in Rockwall were talking about this issue Monday morning over breakfast. It is a national debate playing out in their hometown. Ricky Ferrell supports the law, but knows that it would face a court battle. "Rockwall is a growing community and stuff, and I know they want to stay on the cutting edge of everything, but this is an area where," he said, stopping for a long pause, "they need to really think about what they're doing."
"There's children that go into the women's bathroom. I think if a man is a man, he should go in the men's restroom. There's no question about that to me," added Rockwall resident Tracy Kelley.
