Update: This story has been updated to reflect complete recent statements from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

AUSTIN — It's unclear whether Texas' proposed transgender bathroom bill will apply only to schools or also to businesses and sporting venues, after a newly-elected senator contradicted Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's promises to go after city anti-discrimination laws.

On Thursday, incoming state Sen. Dawn Buckingham, R-Austin, told Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith that after conversations with Patrick, she thought the bill he intends to support will probably focus only on bathroom use at schools.

"His focus is really the schools, and he's gonna — my understanding is the businesses, the sporting venues, will not be affected by this law," Buckingham told Smith, citing conversations with Patrick on the issue. "His focus is really the bathrooms in the schools."

When asked whether businesses and sporting venues would definitely be exempt, she added, "Well, we'll see what the language looks like, but it's my understanding that that's the intent — to realize that there are some complicating factors there and our priorities are really the schools."

But her comments contradicted Patrick's recent promises that any bathroom bill he'll support will not only affect schools, but would also strike down any local LGBT nondiscrimination ordinances passed in Austin, Dallas and other cities.

Patrick's office did not respond to requests for comment Friday on whether Buckingham was right or wrong in her understanding of the bill. The legislation hasn't been filed and a sponsor has not yet been announced, but Patrick gave it a low bill number to indicate its priority status.

"Senator-elect Buckingham is correct that the need for this legislation was largely generated by President Obama's presidential bathroom edict that would have forced schools to adopt a politically correct bathroom, locker room and shower policy that was an affront to common sense, safety and decency. The legislation you are asking about is still being drafted," Patrick said, repeating a statement he'd given Thursday to the Tribune.

He then repeated a statement he made earlier this week that the bill " the lieutenant governor intends to support will assure that sexual predators, like those who exploit the internet, will not be able to freely enter women's restrooms, locker rooms or showers and that businesses are not forced by local ordinances to allow men in women's restrooms and locker rooms."

The last sentence about local ordinances is noteworthy.

If Patrick's bathroom bill undoes local nondiscrimination ordinances, it will essentially be the same legislation North Carolina passed this year, which has cost that state hundreds of millions of dollars and resulted in canceled sporting events and corporate expansion plans.

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The Texas Association of Business has opposed such legislation, calling it unnecessary and discriminatory. Earlier this week, the group released a report claiming the state could lose up to $8.5 billion and 185,000 jobs, which Patrick called "fear mongering" against "a bill they haven't even seen."

On Friday, association President Chris Wallace refused to comment on whether his group would drop opposition to the bathroom bill if it applies only to public schools. But even if the legislation is narrowed, he said, the Senate could pass a separate bill that affects businesses.

"It's really hard to say. I mean, it's so premature. We don't want any type of legislation that is going to make Texas appear to be unwelcoming to future workers," Wallace told The Dallas Morning News. "It doesn't matter where the bathroom is, it's still discrimination.

"We haven't had that interim discussion, the 'If the bill is just classrooms, will we oppose it or not?' " he added. "We'll wait to see what the bill says."