Becker Sen. Dave Brown In response to concerns from Minnesota families regarding the Minnesota High School Leagues transgender policy decision,  introduced the Student Safety and Physical Privacy Act (S.F. 1543), a bill designed  to protect students’ basic physical safety and privacy rights.

 

The bill requires schools maintain facilities (bathrooms, locker rooms, etc.) separated based on biological sex. It also allows schools to continue to meet individual needs for students who are uncomfortable using the facility that corresponds with their birth sex by providing access to an alternate facility. 

 

"Minnesota families expect our public schools to protect the safety and physical privacy of every student while ensuring the integrity of our female sports teams,” Brown said.  “This bill accomplishes what is already the expectation of people across our state."

 

The Student Safety and Physical Privacy Act will ensure that students will always have their privacy rights protected when they are in intimate settings away from home, under the supervision of school officials. It will also protect the integrity of girls’ athletics by ensuring that girls’ teams will continue to remain safe and fair for biological girls, according to a press release from Brown’s office.

 

“This legislation is a common sense solution that protects each and every student against the reckless policy of the MN State High School League,” continued Sen. Brown. “Students have a right to privacy in bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers with facilities that separate biological males and females.”

 

According to a recent statewide poll conducted by independent pollster Public Opinion Strategies, 90% of Minnesotans share Brown’s support of privacy rights for students.

 

Republican Sens. Mary Kiffmeyer, Carrie Ruud, Dave Thompson and Torrey Westrom  joined Brown in his quest to protect students’ privacy and safety.