Drive to Overturn Transgender Bathroom Law Fails to Make Ballot

A petition drive to gather enough signatures to get a repeal of Washington state's transgender bathroom law fell short of it's goal, leaving organizers considering other options.

The Family Policy Institute of Washington state's Joseph Backholm says they gathered about 190,000-plus names, but short of the 246,372 needed to place it on the November ballot. Those signatures must be valid.

The Institute was the backing group Just Want Privacy, who were seeking to place a measure on the ballot overturning the controversial transgender bathroom policy put in place by the State Human Rights Commission the day after Christmas 2015.

Many legislators say it was done illegally, or at least the Commission skirted around the normal procedures and rules concerning such far reaching policies. They usually require public comment, input and legislative interaction. But none of those were utilized by the Commission.

The Office of the Secretary of State usually recommends at least 350,000 signatures, to offset any that are not legal.

Organizers have said they are not done protecting the rights of women and children, and are "considering all their options" as far as the open locker room rule that accompanies the transgender bathroom policy.

Some 18 states have a variety of laws or rules that 'protect' transgender individuals. Had the initiative received enough signatures, it would have gone on the ballot as I-1515.

During this last spring's legislative session, the State Senate narrowly defeated, by a count of 25-24, a bill that would have overturned the controversial bill. Already, several incidents have occurred in WA and dozens across the country, involving men who used the new law to gain access to women's bathrooms and dressing rooms for the purposes of illegally videotaping and photographing women-as well as other crimes.