Rules Committee Lets Bathroom Rule Stand After Testimony

Yakima residents attended a meeting of the State Joint Administrative Rules Review Committee which decides if the Human Rights Commission had the authority to adopt the controversial bathroom rule.  Committee members heard a range of testimony from men, women, sexual abuse victims and transgender people.  An effort to repeal the bathroom rule is underway in the form of Initiative 1515. On Thursday the review committee voted 4-4 on whether the Human Rights Commission violated the State Administrative Procedure Code. As a result of the 4-4 vote the rule will stay as is. Had the vote been different the committee could have asked the Governor or the committee to consider overturning the rule.