Wyoming Bill On Transgender Access To Restrooms Clears House

A bill that would mandate that people could only use restrooms conforming to their gender at birth has won final approval in the Wyoming House and will now head to the Senate.

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House Bill 72, known as the Protecting women's privacy in public spaces act, is sponsored by Rep. Martha Lawley [R-Big Horn, Washakie counties]. The goal of the bill is to ban transgender people born as males access to female restrooms, locker rooms and correctional facilities.

Although the House did discuss and approve an amendment offered by Rep. Lawley, the bill itself was approved without debate on final reading.

Here is how the House voted on Friday:

Ayes: Allemand, Angelos, Banks, Bear, Brady, Bratten, Brown, G, Brown, L, Byron, Campbell, E, Campbell, K, Clouston, Connolly, Davis, Eklund, Erickson, Filer, Geringer, Guggenmos, Haroldson, Harshman, Heiner, Hoeft, Johnson, Kelly, Knapp, Larsen, Larson, Lawley, Lien, Locke, Lucas, McCann, Ottman, Pendergraft, Rodriguez-Williams, Schmid, Singh, Smith, Styvar, Tarver, Strock, Thayer, Washut, Wasserburger, Webb, Webber, Wharff, Williams, Winter, Wylie, Neiman
Nays: Chestek, Jarvis, Nicholas, Posey, Provenza, Sherwood, Storer, Yin
Excused: Andrew, Riggins

Arguments For And Against The Bill

In an op-ed on the bill some weeks ago, Rep. Lawley wrote ''This bill ensures that women and girls can feel safe and respected in places where privacy is essential—bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and correctional facilities.'' 

She also says the issue of biological men in women's and girls locker rooms and restrooms is something she heard a lot about on the campaign trail in 2024.

But the ACLU of Wyoming has come out against the measure. ''Like previous efforts to expel people of color, people with disabilities, and others from communal spaces, these arguments for privacy just mask a fear of difference. Eroding the fundamental rights of transgender people is dangerous for every one of us.''