A Michigan Republican Senator plans to introduce legislation that would require transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms according to the sex listed on their birth certificates. The proposed legislation from Senator Tom Casperson comes even after the fallout from similar legislation in North Carolina.
Casperson tells the Associated Press, he is "firmly committed to introducing the legislation."
This comes after he learned about the Michigan Board of Education's proposal that would allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. The proposal would allow transgender students to choose which pronoun to go by and which bathroom they want to use.
A new transgender bathroom bill signed into law in North Carolina last month sparked uproar nationwide.
Fallout has been swift. Paypal announced last week it was nixing its plans to open a new global operations center in North Carolina because of the controversial new law.
Several other companies have also halted business with the state.
The Obama administration is also weighing whether to cut billions in federal funding to the state because of the law.
But none of that has deterred Republican Senator Tom Casperson from introducing such legislation in Michigan.
State education officials tell the Associated Press, Casperson's legislation would be damaging for young students, and it could ostracize students already at risk for bullying and depression.
Public comment on the Department of Education's proposal is still ongoing until May 11th. As of this morning,, there were more than 7,800 comments, for and against.
State board of education president John Austin told FOX 47 News the ultimate goal is to ensure every student gay, straight or transgender, has a comfortable, safe place to use the bathroom.
The guidelines for the Department of Education proposal would be voluntary for schools.
