Raleigh. Republican lawmakers in North Carolina introduced a bill Tuesday that seeks to prevent transgender people from updating their legal documents to reflect their gender identity, in addition to limiting their access to public bathrooms in the state.
SB516, called the “Women’s Protection and Safety Act,” was introduced by Republican Senators Vickie Sawyer (37th District) and Brad Overcash (43rd District).
The proposal proposes to prevent transgender people in North Carolina from updating their birth certificates after sex reassignment surgery, as well as changing their driver’s licenses to reflect their gender identity
In addition, SB516 proposes to restrict transgender people’s access to bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity in certain state-funded locations such as schools, universities, community colleges, prisons, and domestic or sexual violence assistance centers.
Specifically, the proposal says that bathrooms, locker rooms, and sleeping quarters in those facilities must be used by “one designated biological sex at one time.”
It also states that anyone who finds someone of the opposite biological sex in those places will be able to sue the facility administrators.
SB516 reignites a debate that thrust North Carolina into the national spotlight in 2016, when the state Legislature passed HB2 that banned transgender people from using bathrooms consistent with their gender identity.
This legislation caused a boycott that generated millions in losses for the state, forcing the Legislature to repeal the law in 2017.
