Placido Salazar

psalazar9@satx.rr.com
At least young Eddie Lucio has not SOLD OUT to Dan Patrick and Greg
Abbott. Old Eddie Lucio usually sides with republicans.. disregarding
important issues which affect the majority of his many impoverished
constituents in The Rio Grande Valley. Placido Salazar

Lucios have different opinions on merits of bathroom bill

AUSTIN, Texas State Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., and his son, state Rep. Eddie
Lucio, III, have a different take on the so-called bathroom bill. Senate Bill
6 would require transgender people to use the bathroom in government
buildings, public universities and public schools that matches their biological
sex.

Eddie Lucio, Jr. Sen. Lucio, D-Brownsville, participated in a news

conference at the state Capitol on Monday in support of SB 6. Children, youth
and parents in these difficult situations deserve compassion, sensitivity and respect
without infringing on legitimate concerns about privacy and security from other
students and parents, Lucio said at the news conference.
Soon after Sen. Lucio made the announcement, Rep. Lucios Capitol office started
to receive calls from constituents opposed to the bathroom bill. To make sure his
constituents knew he opposed SB 6, Rep. Lucio, D-Harlingen, issued a statement on
Facebook.

Here is Rep. Lucios statement in full: Earlier today my father State Senator
Eddie Lucio, Jr. signed on to Senate Bill 6 the bathroom bill. Essentially the bill
would require Texans to use a bathroom associated with their biological gender and
not the gender in which they identify. This bill targets the transgender
community. Shortly after it was made public that my father supports SB 6 and
participated in a press conference, my office started receiving negative feedback
from across Texas on his position on the bill. Unfortunately, most of the people who
were calling my office were mistaking me for my father.

State Rep. Eddie Lucio, III. On this issue, I respectfully disagree with my
father and I oppose SB 6. I believe this bill to be nothing more than a political ploy to appease certain
narrow minded constituencies at the expense of some of the most vulnerable and marginalized people
in society.
Our office has yet to be provided any evidence demonstrating that the transgender community
provides a security risk to others in bathrooms. The people that this bill targets are just trying to live
their lives and have a safe place to use the restroom. I believe and teach love, tolerance and
acceptance in my home and approach my service in office in the same manner.

My father preached love and service in my house growing up, and although I sincerely believe that
his position is not rooted in hate, it is still wrong and will create adversity for many. This is not a
priority in Texas and should not be treated as one. I will stand up and oppose any attempt at
oppression or prejudice whether the target group is gay, straight, white, brown, man, woman or child.
I discussed this issue with my father today; it was very civil and respectful. We hugged and agreed to
disagree. I hope that regardless of your position on this or any issue you would approach your views
and discussions with the same love and respect that my father and I displayed this morning.

Rep. Lucio got hundreds of Likes for his Facebook post. Senate Bill 6, authored by state Sen. Lois
Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, will be heard by the Senate Committee on State Affairs today. The legislation
has been made a top priority this session by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Patrick convened the news
conference at which Sen. Lucio spoke on Monday. Some business and tourism leaders in Texas believe
SB 6 will hurt the Lone Star States economy.

Apolonio Sandoval, Jr. is a video-journalist for the Rio Grande Guardian.