DENVER — An effort to add non-gendered bathrooms and baby changing stations to Colorado’s public buildings passed its first hurdle Monday, receiving approval from a state House committee.
If passed by the full legislature, House Bill 1057 would require newly constructed public buildings owned or operated by the government to provide non-gendered bathrooms on each floor where gendered bathrooms are available. The buildings would also need to provide baby diaper changing stations, either in the non-gendered bathroom or in both the men’s and women’s bathrooms.
“Many of us don’t have to plan our day around where we can find an accessible restroom. Some must,” said bill sponsor Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont. “We have been shortchanging dads, moms, parents, caregivers and babies in this area.”
Proponents of the bill said gendered bathrooms are inaccessible for many groups, including transgender or nonbinary people, disabled people with caregivers of a different gender, and men with young children who can't access baby changing stations in women's bathrooms.
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