Transgender bathroom, sports bill introduced in Nebraska Legislature

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha introduced a bill on Friday that would ban transgender people from certain bathrooms and locker rooms in Nebraska.

She was joined at a press conference by Gov. Jim Pillen and Husker athletes such as Rebekah Allick and Jordy Bahl.

The Stand With Women Act would prohibit people from using restrooms at schools and state agencies that do not correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth.

It would also ban athletes who were born male from joining female sports teams.

“Despite whatever feelings or emotions or identity crisis one could be going through, there’s always going to be major things that decipher male and female,” Bahl said.

Protestors in favor of transgender rights lined the halls of the Capitol in opposition of LB 89.

“Nobody’s equality before the law should ever be put in jeopardy, and that’s exactly what this bill does,” said Abbi Swatsworth, the executive director of Out Nebraska. “By touching everything that government controls, it targets transgender Nebraskans. This bill is actually an escalation of the targeted efforts we’ve seen in our Legislature.”