Special Session Done, Conservative Wins Achieved

The second special session has come to a close, and what a ride it was. Remember the Democrats’ big quorum break? They walked out thinking they could shut down the people’s business and stall conservative priorities. In the end, their little stunt was all for nothing.

Not only did they fail, but we passed punishments to make sure quorum breaks carry even heavier consequences. But their biggest punishment was what came next: a tidal wave of conservative victories that left Democrats' heads spinning. You see, once the Democrats came back from their vacation, the Republican Caucus was more focused than ever, passing nearly all of the Governor’s priorities in the matter of two weeks.

One of the biggest wins was SB 8, or the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, a bill nearly a decade in the making. For years, Texans have demanded action to protect women’s spaces, and this session, I was proud to sponsor it, carry it to the House floor, and defend it against an onslaught of Democrat attacks.

The Texas Women’s Privacy Act is simple and commonsense. It requires bathrooms, locker rooms, changing facilities, and multiple occupancy private spaces within government facilities—schools, universities, correctional facilities, etc—to be designated and used according to biological sex. It authorizes civil penalties against violators and gives ordinary Texans the right to take legal action if their privacy and safety are ignored. If a government entity can’t fix the problem or refuses to follow the law, it pays the price.

And the penalties are serious. During the debate, Democrats threw amendment after amendment at me, all designed to weaken the bill. I rejected every single one. The only change I accepted came from a conservative colleague, which made the bill even stronger. The amendment raised the penalty from $5,000 to $25,000 for a first offense, and from $25,000 to $125,000 for repeat violations. That means if a school, university, or other government entity ignores the law and lets biological men into women’s spaces, the financial consequences will be steep.

The debate was fierce. At one point, a liberal Democrat from Dallas asked me for examples of when this problem had actually happened in Texas. She wasn’t prepared for the long list I brought forward. As I read example after example, she cut me off—and then had the audacity to ask, “What harm was inflicted on these girls?”

What a crazy question. Since when did we decide it was okay to make a girl uncomfortable changing in her school locker room while a biological male watches? In what world is that acceptable?

Democrats tried to make the entire debate about transgender rights, but I proudly stood firm for the dignity, safety, and privacy of the 15 million women and girls of Texas. Men don’t get to dress like women and claim the right to invade women’s private spaces.

The passage of this bill was supported and even earned a shoutout from both the Republican Party of Texas and Texas Values, a faith-based organization dedicated to defending conservative family and moral principles in Texas. Their recognition underscores that this is no small victory—it is a victory for the values and priorities of Texas conservatives statewide.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be updating you on more of the conservative victories we delivered in this special session. Make sure you stay connected and informed by calling our Capitol office at (512) 463-0600 or by following my social media page at www.facebook.com/AngeliaOrrForTX.