A topic most people keep private is now the subject of a new bill.

KVUE News

State Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, has agreed to sponsor the bill.

Austin State Representative Mark Strama filed a "bathroom bill" that would allow those with pressing medical conditions to have access to employee-only restrooms.

A group of people who suffer from gastrointestinal conditions pitched the idea to Strama, after seeing similar legislation meet success in Maryland and Illinois.

"Because of my condition, I would just have to go to a restroom right away, there wouldn't be any time to find a place. I would just have to go to where I found one," said Catherine Wicker, 10, who suffers from ulcerative colitis.

She's one of the young lobbyists for the bill who joined Strama Thursday morning to pre-file the bill at the House Clerk's Office.

"They researched it, they helped me draft the bill and as you just saw, they went with me to file the bill," said Strama.

The bill would require that customers carry a card or doctor's note stating the medical condition. Conditions like pregnancy and Crohn's Disease -- with symptoms include needing to go to the restroom urgently -- would be covered.

Strama said a state senator is considering filing a companion bill in the Senate. The bill won't be assigned to committee until after the start of the 80th Legislative Session, January 9.