On May 18, the Illinois Senate passed an amended version of a bill that would allow businesses and public institutions to provide multi-occupant all-gender bathrooms if they so choose, The Daily Herald reported.
House Bill 1286 would alter current state law, under which single-occupancy bathrooms are automatically designated for all genders but multi-occupancy bathrooms must be designated as being specifically for male or female individuals. The amended measure requires that all-gender bathrooms have "floor-to-ceiling" toilet stalls with workable locks and that urinals not be allowed.
Republican lawmakers opposed the bill, with state Sen. Neil Anderson saying passage of the bill could lead to violent situations.
Chicago attorney Justin Sia testified in committee that he came up with the idea for the bill while in law school at Loyola University.
While the measure had already passed the House on March 23, the amended version heads back to the chamber for consideration before it can be sent to Gov. JB Pritzker.
—Andrew Davis
