Texas will soon join 19 other states with laws restricting which public restrooms transgender people can use. Greg Abbott has signed a bill that bans transgender individuals from using bathrooms in state-owned buildings and schools—including universities—that match their gender identity. The earlier proposals failed to gain traction in the state House, while the state Senate has passed six bathroom bills since 2017, the Texas Tribune reports. Supporters, including Abbott, frame the new measure as a "common sense public safety issue." Democrats labeled the bill as government overreach, warning that it could heighten harassment for both transgender Texans and anyone whose appearance doesn't match traditional gender expectations.