AUSTIN, Texas – San Antonio Police Chief William McManus joined his counterparts from across the state Tuesday in Austin to denounce a "bathroom bill" being debated in the special session of the Texas Legislature.
"Beyond my wildest dreams, I never thought that I'd be standing in front of the state Capitol talking about a bathroom bill," McManus said. "Like police don't have anything better to do than to worry about who goes into a bathroom."
Related: SA mayor joins growing opposition to 'bathroom bill'
McManus and police officials from Houston, Austin, Dallas and El Paso said the bill will make the state less safe and waste their time.
The chiefs said they haven't found examples of restroom-related sexual assaults and that forcing officers to combat nonexistent crime will increase discrimination and make Texas more dangerous.
"I believe that if you propose a bill to address a criminal justice concern, it's important to determine if you actually have a problem," McManus said. "This bill is a solution looking for a problem.
"The bathroom bill doesn't pass the test, the most basic test, of any public safety bill. It does nothing to make us safer."
Related: SA-area superintendents, Chamber oppose 'bathroom bill'
McManus said the bill will create confusion for transgender people and for police.
"So the net effect of this bill is to create psychological trauma, confusion and to solve a problem, again, that doesn't exist," he said. "And then there's the problem it poses to law enforcement. How are we to determine if someone is using the facility of their gender of birth? Like SB 4, will we now be required to stand at the doors of bathrooms and ask for your birth certificate?"
Related: Abbott: 'I support the principles' of bathroom bills
Senators on Tuesday began debating the bill, which is expected to pass in the Senate. The fate of the bill in the House is unclear.
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