On Monday, lawmakers filed legislation protecting people’s physical privacy and safety in certain shelters, in state and local jails, and in public buildings.
The measure is similar to a law Arkansas passed in 2023 to protect privacy in public schools and on overnight school trips.
S.B. 486 by Sen. Blake Johnson (R — Corning) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) protects physical privacy and safety of Arkansans in showers, locker rooms, changing rooms, restrooms, and sleeping quarters in government buildings and in state and local jails.
The bill also applies to changing rooms, restrooms, and sleeping quarters in shelters for victims of domestic violence.
S.B. 486 would require these facilities to be designated for “male” or “female” use. The bill generally requires people to use the facility that corresponds to their biological sex.
Over the years, we have seen efforts to house men with women in jails, let men stay in women’s shelters, and give men access to women’s changing areas, locker rooms, showers, and restrooms.
S.B. 486 is common sense legislation narrowly tailored to protect physical privacy and safety in public buildings and shelters in Arkansas.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
