Illinois Senate bill would require gender neutral restrooms remove ‘offensive’ urinals

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Illinois Senate has amended a gender-neutral restroom bill to require such bathrooms to remove urinals.

Illinois has required all single-occupancy bathrooms , defined as a room that can be locked with only one sink, toilet stall, and urinal, in public buildings to be designated for all genders since 2020.

House Bill 1286 follows the Equitable Restrooms Act saying its purpose is “to promote the privacy, safety, and gender inclusivity of all Illinois residents and visitors.”

The law would require any gender-neutral toilet stall to be separated by dividers, have a functioning lock on the door, add vending machines for menstruation supplies, and a small trash can in each stall.

The bill passed the Illinois House in March and moved to the Senate, where it was amended to require the stalls to be fully enclosed and the urinals to be removed.

According to The Center Square , Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) explained the reasoning, saying, “So we took into consideration the concerns of several members who voiced that concern in terms of again, people who walk into a restroom and might be offended by a urinal so what we are trying to do is to make sure that we are addressing those concerns.”

The Illinois Retail Merchants Association says the legislation is important for businesses across the state, as many retailers already have instituted a policy for gender-neutral bathrooms.

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