There is now just a month left in the 85th Texas Legislative Session, and the fate of several important bills — including privacy and safety legislation — could depend on one key leader.

Rep. Byron Cook, Chairman of the powerful House State Affairs committee, is holding up HB 2899, the House version of the bill to keep men out of little girls’ restrooms. HB 2899 protects the privacy and safety of Texans by stopping all current and future local city ordinances and public school policies that allow biological males to use girls’ restrooms, showers, locker rooms or changing rooms.

The ACLU and LGBT lobby groups have made defeating this bill their top goal for this session. So far, Rep. Byron Cook’s actions indicate he is on the side of liberals by refusing to bring this bill up in committee for a vote.

The committee met twice this week and did not take a vote. A hearing on HB 2899 last week lasted until the wee hours of the morning, so a simple vote would not consume much of the committee’s time.

HB 2899 must pass out of House State Affairs and the House Calendars Committee before it can be voted on the floor by the full Texas House.

We are entering the final weeks of the legislative session and there is no time for further delay on this issue. If HB 2899 does not move quickly and get passed out of the State Affairs and Calendars Committees and moved to the House floor for a vote, the clock will run out.

We encourage our supporter to contact the House State Affairs Committee and urge them to quickly pass the bill out of committee:

Byron Cook (R-Chair):  512-463-0730, Byron.Cook@house.texas.gov

Helen Giddings (D-Co Chair): 512-463-0953, Helen.Giddings@house.texas.gov

Jessica Farrar (D): 512-463-0620, Jessica.Farrar@house.texas.gov

Rene Oliveira (D): 512-463-0640, Rene.Oliveira@house.texas.gov

Eddie Rodriguez (D): 512-463-0674, Eddie.Rodriguez@house.texas.gov

John Smithee (R): 512-463-0702, John.Smithee@house.texas.gov

Tom Craddick (R): 512-463-0500, Tom.Craddick@house.texas.gov

Charlie Geren (R): 512-463-0610, Charlie.Geren@house.texas.gov

Ryan Guillen (D): 512-463-0416, Ryan.Guillen@house.texas.gov

Ken King (R): 512-463-0736, Ken.King@house.texas.gov

John Kuempel (R): 512-463-0602, John.Kuempel@house.texas.gov

Morgan Meyer (R): 512-463-0367, Morgan.Meyer@house.texas.gov

Chris Paddie (R): 512-463-0556, Chris.Paddie@house.texas.gov