A bill in Tennessee that would require transgender students to use bathrooms that match their sex at birth has failed.

The bill died in a House Education Administration and Planning Committee meeting Tuesday that was packed with transgender youth who opposed the measure.

Transgender students who testified before the committee were elated and said they felt like sharing their personal stories had impacted the vote.

Religious conservatives had pushed the legislation, which was supported by Coffee County State Rep. Judd Matheny.

A revised fiscal note on the bill said the federal government could withhold education money if the bill passed. The fiscal note said Tennessee had received $1 billion in federal education funds last year.

Gov. Bill Haslam had objected to the bill because he was concerned that Tennessee could lose federal funding if it passed.

Source:

Partner Station WMSR