Utah legislature overrides veto to pass transgender sports ban

The Utah State Legislature overrode the veto of Gov. Spencer Cox (R) of a bill that would ban transgender girls from playing on female high school sports teams.

The House voted 65-18 and the Senate voted 21-8 to overturn the veto on Friday, reported The Salt Like Tribune. All Democrats voted against, along with two Republicans in each chamber.

“I truly believe we’re here to uphold Title IX, to preserve the integrity of women’s sports and to do so in a way unlike other states,” said Rep. Kera Birkeland (R), the bill’s sponsor.

Gov. Cox vetoed the bill Tuesday over disappointment by how good-faith negotiations were circumvented with last-minute changes with more aggressive language.

HB11 was originally intended to create a commission to evaluate whether a transgender athlete could participate in a school sport, but not a ban. During the final hours of the legislative session, the Legislature passed a last-minute amendment to the bill that banned transgender girls from participating in all female school sports.

The governor also cited statistics showing that of 75,000 high school students in Utah, only four are transgender and only one of those is playing girl’s sports.

“That’s what all of this is about,” Cox said. “Four kids who aren’t dominating or winning trophies or taking scholarships.”

Republicans fell short of the two-thirds required until they successfully flipped 10 Representatives in the House and five Senators, reported NPR.

The override vote was criticized by LGBT rights groups and local sports organizations.

The state’s law takes effect July 1. The bill also includes a clause that if the ban is declared unconstitutional by a court, the commission would take effect.