COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina schools will now be required to designate bathrooms and locker rooms based on a student’s sex after Governor Henry McMaster signed the Student Physical Privacy Act into law.
The new law requires all multi‑person bathrooms and locker rooms in public schools to be used by one sex at a time.
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Students who request alternative accommodations must be provided access to a single‑stall restroom.
Schools that do not comply could face a 25% funding penalty.
The ACLU of South Carolina criticized the law, saying in a statement that it targets vulnerable students. The organization wrote in part:
“This law is about making life harder for a small group of students who already face higher risks of bullying, harassment, and violence.”
The law takes effect immediately.