SALT LAKE CITY — Utah representatives advanced a bill restricting transgender students’ access to dormitories at public universities on a 59-13 party-line vote Tuesday, after the mother of a Utah State University student complained about a transgender resident adviser.
It’s the latest example of the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature addressing transgender rights, following high-profile bills approved in each of the last three sessions. Republicans said the bill is an effort to ensure the privacy of female students, while Democrats argued transgender dorm access should be left to universities to handle and accused the majority of targeting the transgender community.
“I want to be very, very clear: This is a sensitive and emotional issue, but no person deserves harassment — trans or otherwise,” bill sponsor Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, told colleagues on the House floor Tuesday.
HB269 — which advanced out of a House committeelast week — requires that students at public universities live in rooms …