Oklahoma Legislators Declare A Bathroom ‘Emergency’

Senate President Pro Temper Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, left, talks to House of Representative Speaker Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview before Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin proposed increasing the cigarette tax and expanding the ... Senate President Pro Temper Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, left, talks to House of Representative Speaker Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview before Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin proposed increasing the cigarette tax and expanding the sales tax to a variety of services that are currently exempt as a way to close an estimated $900 million hole in next year's budget during her State of the State address, Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Legislators in Oklahoma have taken the freakout over the Obama administration’s guidance on accommodating transgender students to a new level with legislation aimed at undermining the guidelines and a resolution calling for the President’s impeachment.

Legislation introduced on Thursday by Republican lawmakers in the state senate and house would provide religious accommodations for students who do not want to share a bathroom with transgender students.

Schools would have to provide a restroom only used by people with the same sex “as identified at birth” for students who request a religious accommodation, and the bill states that letting those students use a single-occupancy restroom “shall not be an allowable accommodation.”

The bill, introduced by Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman (R) and House Speaker Jeff Hickman (R), also declares that the situation is an “emergency.”

“It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public space, health and safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval,” the text of the legislation reads.

Oklahoma state senators also introduced a resolution that calls on Congress to impeach President Obama, as well as the attorney general and secretary of education, who authored the letter directing schools to allow transgender students to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.

“Oklahomans are simply not going to stand for this utter nonsense,” Rep. John Bennett (R), one of the resolution’s authors, said in a statement. “Our phones and emails are being flooded by citizens who are enraged by this President’s attempt to use our children as pawns in a liberal agenda.”

“This directive is Biblically wrong, a violation of our state’s sovereignty and it is a serious public safety issue,” he added.

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: