More States Make Legal Moves To Restrict Transgender Rights
As the NCAA rattles its saber in warning about anti-trans discrimination, Texas, Florida and West Virginia made legal moves to limit the rights of trans children to play sports. Arizona, meanwhile, plans laws to further restrict what can be taught in sex ed.
Politico:
Florida House Passes Contentious Transgender Sports Ban
The GOP-controlled Florida House on Wednesday passed controversial legislation banning transgender athletes from playing girls’ sports, shifting attention to the state Senate where final approval is needed to send the bill to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The 77-40 mostly party-line vote, with all but one Democrat opposing, came one day after House Democrats held up a floor session for hours attempting to scale back the measure. GOP lawmakers say the bill is needed to protect the sanctity of women’s sports, but opponents contend it would only “legalize bullying” for transgender students. (Atterbury, 4/14)
Houston Chronicle:
Brushing Aside NCAA Warnings, Texas Republicans Plow Ahead With Transgender Sports Bill
Despite having so much to lose with the NCAA, the Texas Senate plowed ahead on Wednesday with a bill that would bar transgender girls from playing in girls’ scholastic sports. On Monday the NCAA issued a nationwide statement affirming its support for transgender athletes and warning it would monitor anti-transgender legislation and weigh future NCAA championship locations based on whether locations are “free of discrimination.” (Wallace, 4/14)
Charleston Gazette Mail:
As NCAA Threatens To Pull Championship Events Over Transgender Sports Bans, Justice Says He’ll Let Ban Become Law
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice reiterated Wednesday that he doesn’t plan to veto a bill banning transgender middle school, high school and college girls and women from playing on women’s sports teams — even though he conceded it could lead the NCAA to “penalize us.” “There is some talk, you know, that we could come back into a special session and retroactively look back at it and everything,” Justice said in response to a question from WOWK-TV journalist Mark Curtis, “but, Mark, I am either going to let it become law or sign it. You know I’m absolutely not — I am not supportive of a veto.” Bills automatically become laws if a governor doesn’t officially sign them or veto them. (Quinn, 4/14)
Also —
NBC News:
Texas Bill Could Send Parents To Prison For Providing Gender-Affirming Care
A wave of anti-transgender bills across the country would ban health care providers from offering gender-affirming care to minors. But a smaller number are targeting parents who support their transgender kids’ desire to transition, levying punishments that critics say could range from jail time to having their children taken away. A bill heard in committee in the Texas Senate on Monday would redefine child abuse to include administering, supplying or consenting to provide puberty suppression drugs, hormone replacement therapy, or surgical or medical procedures to anyone under 18 “for the purpose of gender transitioning or gender reassignment.” (Avery, 4/14)
AP:
Conservatives Propose Revised Sex Ed Rules In LGBTQ Pushback
Two years after Arizona lawmakers repealed a ban on any HIV/AIDS instruction that “promotes a homosexual lifestyle" as they faced a lawsuit, they have approved revamping the state's sex education laws to make them some of the strictest in the nation when it comes to teaching about LGBTQ issues. The measure pushed by a powerful social conservative group is framed as a parental rights issue and would require schools to get parents' permission for discussions about gender identity, sexual orientation or HIV/AIDS in sex education classes. (Christie, 4/14)
