House State Affairs hears hours of testimony on Senate Bill 8, the "Texas Women’s Privacy Act"

The House Committee on State Affairs spent its allotted public‑testimony period on Wednesday hearing more than two hours of testimony for and against Senate Bill 8, known in testimony as the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, which would require public entities and state agencies to designate multi‑occupancy private spaces for use by individuals “based on their biological sex.” Representative Orr, the bill’s author, explained the measure and answered committee questions.

The measure would, according to the bill author, “ensure that men cannot enter bathrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, sleeping quarters, family violence shelters, and other private spaces dedicated to women and girls.” Representative Orr said SB 8 sets a statewide standard and creates civil penalties enforced by the attorney general: “$5,000 for the first violation and $25,000 for subsequent violations,” she told the committee.

The bill drew sharply divided public testimony. Supporters—including conservative and faith groups, some county Republican officials and several individual witnesses—told the committee that state law should mandate sex‑segregated multi‑occupancy spaces to preserve privacy and safety. "This legislation is critical to protecting women and girls in the state of Texas and preserving our dignity," said Megan Benton, strategic policy associate for Texas Values Action.…