ARKANSAS: Gov. Asa Hutchinson Holds Off Bill That Would Make “Incorrect” Restroom Use A Sex Crime

NPR reports:

Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he’s worked with fellow Republicans to keep a transgender bathroom bill off the agenda of a special session he called to address highway funding. Instead, Hutchinson plans to work with lawmakers on legislation for next year’s lengthier, regular legislative session. During a press conference, Hutchinson said adding the item to the special session has the potential to detract from his primary objective.

“I did oppose adding at the last minute an additional item to address privacy in facilities and the reason being it had not been vetted out, it had not been reviewed, it had not been discussed and debate sufficiently,” he said. “Just as importantly, this is a highway session. I did not need to have that complexity as we entered the highway session.”

Senator Missy Irvin of Mountain View was considering filing a bill to make using a restroom that differs from one’s gender identity on a birth certificate a sex crime. Irvin told KUAR on Thursday morning she will not carry that bill this session.