A bill introduced Thursday in the
Oklahoma Senate would prohibit transgender students from using the
bathroom of their choice.
Senate Bill 1619 was filed by Senate
leader Brian Bingman and Speaker of the House Jeff Hickman, both of
whom are Republican.
The legislation appears to be a
response to guidelines issued last week by the Obama administration
advising schools that receive federal funding to allow transgender
students to use the bathroom of their choice.
The measure declares a state of
emergency allowing it to take effect immediately after passage. “It
being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace,
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 bill states in part.
Republicans also introduced a
resolution calling on the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach
President Barack Obama for issuing the directive.
“This directive to schools is not
only unlawful, but the breadth of overreach in this instance by the
Obama administration is shocking,” Representative John Bennett, a
sponsor of the resolution, told ABC affiliate KTUL.
“We are working on legislation that would protect our citizens by
not requiring our kids and women to share a facility with anyone who
'identifies' as a gender that they were not born. We are going to do
everything we can to protect our women and children.”