Opponents of Tennessee's controversial bathroom bill won a small victory as the bill's sponsor decided to delay the proposed piece of legislation during a House sub committee hearing.
Representative Mark Pody, a Republican from Wilson County said Tuesday afternoon he was putting the bill "off notice" due to the constantly changing legal status of similar measures at the federal level. The bill is cosponsored by Senator Mae Beavers.
If passed the "bathroom bill" would mandate that students use the bathroom which corresponds to the gender on their birth certificate. LGBT rights groups have called the legislative discriminatory against those in the transgender community.
On Tuesday, a fiscal note attached to the bill also revealed that it could cost the state $1 billion in revenue. After Tuesday's hearing, the President of the Nashville LGBT Chamber said discussion over the bill has already cost the state money.
"The economic impact is what we’re concerned about. Discrimination is bad for business and these are discriminatory bills," said Joe Woolley with the Nashville LGBT Chamber.
A Senate version of the "bathroom bill" is set to be debated on Wednesday. It's unclear if the sponsors will also delay discussion of the proposal then as well.
