Wisconsin Bill Regarding Pupil Changing Rooms (SB 582)

This law was last updated on Jun 3, 2016

State

Wisconsin

Number

SB 582

Status

Failed to Pass

Proposed

Jan 15, 2016

Topics

Anti-Transgender, LGBTQ

Full Bill Text

docs.legis.wisconsin.gov

SB 582 would require a school board to designate each pupil restroom and changing room located in a public school building and accessible by multiple pupils as for the exclusive use of pupils of only one sex.

The bill would prohibit a member of the female sex from using a changing room that has been designated as a male changing room and prohibit a member of the male sex from using a changing room that has been designated as a female changing room.

The bill would permit a school board to temporarily redesignate a pupil restroom or changing room for special events.

The bill defines sex” to mean the physical condition of being male or female, as determined by an individual’s reproductive organs and as designated on that individual’s birth certificate.

The bill would require a school board to provide reasonable accommodations to a pupil to use a single−occupancy changing room or the regulated use of a faculty changing room if the parent or guardian of the pupil submits a written request to receive the accommodations. In addition, the bill would permit a school board to provide a gender−neutral restroom in a school for use by pupils.

The bill defines “gender-neutral restroom” to mean a restroom that satisfies all the following requirements:

the restroom has two or more stalls;
each stall has a floor-to-ceiling door with a lock or latch so that the door may be locked or latched from the inside;
each stall is separated by either a wall or floor-to-ceiling partitions;
there are no space between the doors, walls, and partitions used in the construction of each stall so that a person standing outside a stall cannot see inside the stall and a person inside a stall cannot see into any other stall; and
if the restroom has a urinal, the urinal is located in a stall that meets all other requirements for a stall.

The bill would permit a pupil’s parent or guardian to file a written complaint regarding a violation of the requirements in this bill, and requires the school board to investigate and attempt to resolve the complaint. If it is not resolved, the parent or guardian may bring a claim for injunctive relief, declaratory relief, and any damages.

STATUS

Similar to AB 469.