AUSTIN – Advocates of twice defeated legislation to restrict which bathroom transgenders can use in public buildings and schools in Texas vowed Thursday to continue their push for the contentious measure.

The proposal was a priority for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in the regular legislative session earlier this year and again in a special session this summer. It was defeated both times, including in the closing hours of the special session Tuesday night.

Now, supporters of the bathroom bill are hoping Abbott will call another special session to take up the legislation a third time. He said in a radio interview Wednesday he has not ruled out that possibility.

The bill is opposed by corporate leaders from dozens of Fortune 500 companies. Projections by the Keep Texas Open for Business coalition say the measure could cost some $5.6 billion in lost statewide revenue through 2026.

Legislation governing transgender use of restrooms has polarized Texas residents as well as legislators.

University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said that moderate Republicans, led by state House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, “needed some extra oomph” to fight a bathroom bill and that big-business opposition “gave them the coverage they needed to say no” and shut it down.

A federal court decision earlier this week could provide an opportunity for the governor to bring lawmakers back for a second special session to address “an impermissible racial gerrymander” in two congressional districts. 

If lawmakers were called back to fix the problems with the Congressional districts, which the court ruled violate the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution, it could open the door to debating the bathroom bill yet again if Abbott added it to the agenda

The New York Times Thursday reported the lieutenant governor as saying that “next session,” a bathroom bill would be back. 

“You know why it’s going to be back next session? Because the people will demand it,” Patrick told reporters on Tuesday night, the Times reported. “The issue is not going to go away.”

In both previous legislative sessions, bathroom bills passed the Senate, where Patrick, a social conservative presides.  In the House, under Straus’ leadership, the bathroom bills were bottled up and never got a vote on the floor. 

Contact reporter John Austin at jaustin@cnhi.com.