A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM
Arizona Gov. Ducey signs laws to restrict trans athletes, surgeries, abortions
DON'T SEE THAT SIGN AT DEATH PENALTY OR ANTIWAR PROTESTS
File Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI | License Photo
March 30 (UPI) -- Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday signed into law a trio of controversial bills to ban transgender girls from competing in women's sports, minors from undergoing gender reassignment surgery and abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
The Republican governor announced he signed the three bills in a letter to Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs in which he described the legislation as "common sense."
Ducey enacted the laws despite strong push back from LGBTQ and healthcare advocates.
"A vast majority of Arizonans believe in the right to abortion and want to ensure trans youth have every opportunity to thrive," Darrell Hill, policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, said in a statement. "The legislators who supported these bills know that their transphobic, anti-choice agenda is misaligned with the will of their constituents."
The legislation were passed by Arizona legislators last week with Senate Bill 1138 banning gender transition procedures for anyone under the age of 18, even with parental consent, while threatening medical professionals with sanctions for referring such medical procedures to a minor.
S.B. 1165 prohibits male-born transgender athletes from competing in public or private school sports designated for girls.
And S.B. 1164 bars medical professionals from knowingly performing an abortion on a pregnant person after 15 weeks of fetus gestation under threat of felony charges without exception for pregnancies the result of incest or rape.
Ducey, in his letter, said the legislation concerning transgender youth are "common-sense and narrowly targeted" to "protect participation and fairness for female athletes and to ensure that individuals undergoing gender reassignment surgery are of adult age."
The bills, he said, ensure that "transgender individuals continue to receive the same dignity, respect and kindness as every individual in our society."
Terry Schilling, president of American Principles Project, a conservative think tank, commended Ducey for enacting these two bills.
"While there is much more that must be done to combat the left's radical agenda, this is an important start, and we urge other states without such laws to pass them as soon as possible," he said in a statement.
Opponents, however, quickly condemned Ducey's decision to not veto the legislation with the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ advocacy group in the United States, saying any harm minors incur because of these bills belong to the governor and lawmakers who passed them.
"Gov. Ducey has chosen discrimination over protecting the well-being of vulnerable children," Cathryn Oakley, HRC's state legislative director and senior counsel, said in a statement. "This isn't leadership, it's cowardice. The Human Rights Campaign strongly condemns his actions and won't stop fighting for trans kids across the nation."
Kathy Hoffman, the state's Democratic superintendent of Public Instruction, also accused Ducey of siding with "extremism" and injecting "politics into our schools" with signing the bills she described as "hateful."
"How many kids will be harmed because of this legislations? How many kids will suffer until a future, more tolerant legislature rights theres wrongs?" she asked via Twitter. "I am deeply disappointed in this decision, and my heart breaks for the families and kids who will suffer because of these laws."
The American Civil Liberties Union responded with saying it will take Ducey to court.
"The government can't violate our right without a fight, it tweeted.
The abortion bill also came under quick attack, with healthcare advocates stating it will not only harm Arizonans but disproportionally harm lower-income Arizonans and minorities.
"Many of our clients must already travel to reach care, take time off of work at their own cost and arrange childcare. These are often insurmountable burdens because they add to the financial, logistical and legal obstacles faced by abortion seekers in the state," said Brianna Gordon from the Tucson Abortion Support Collective. "We don't need thoughts and prayers -- we need these lawmakers to take the boot off our necks."
The laws were signed as Republican-controlled states seeks to enact similar legislation.
According to HRC, 2021 was a record year for legislators to file bills targeting transgender people with this year on track to surpass that with 320 already under considered by states. Seventy of those bills concern banning trans youth from school sports.
The Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization focused on reproductive health and rights, said 71 state bills have been introduced this year to ban all or most abortions.
Last week, two Republican governors vetoed similar bills to Arizona's ban on trans youth from girls' sports.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox separately spiked their states' legislation on the grounds that they are essentially flawed.
Meanwhile, an abortion bill similar that of Arizona but enacted by Florida is currently before the Supreme Court.
March 30 (UPI) -- Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday signed into law a trio of controversial bills to ban transgender girls from competing in women's sports, minors from undergoing gender reassignment surgery and abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
The Republican governor announced he signed the three bills in a letter to Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs in which he described the legislation as "common sense."
Ducey enacted the laws despite strong push back from LGBTQ and healthcare advocates.
"A vast majority of Arizonans believe in the right to abortion and want to ensure trans youth have every opportunity to thrive," Darrell Hill, policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, said in a statement. "The legislators who supported these bills know that their transphobic, anti-choice agenda is misaligned with the will of their constituents."
The legislation were passed by Arizona legislators last week with Senate Bill 1138 banning gender transition procedures for anyone under the age of 18, even with parental consent, while threatening medical professionals with sanctions for referring such medical procedures to a minor.
S.B. 1165 prohibits male-born transgender athletes from competing in public or private school sports designated for girls.
And S.B. 1164 bars medical professionals from knowingly performing an abortion on a pregnant person after 15 weeks of fetus gestation under threat of felony charges without exception for pregnancies the result of incest or rape.
Ducey, in his letter, said the legislation concerning transgender youth are "common-sense and narrowly targeted" to "protect participation and fairness for female athletes and to ensure that individuals undergoing gender reassignment surgery are of adult age."
The bills, he said, ensure that "transgender individuals continue to receive the same dignity, respect and kindness as every individual in our society."
Terry Schilling, president of American Principles Project, a conservative think tank, commended Ducey for enacting these two bills.
"While there is much more that must be done to combat the left's radical agenda, this is an important start, and we urge other states without such laws to pass them as soon as possible," he said in a statement.
Opponents, however, quickly condemned Ducey's decision to not veto the legislation with the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ advocacy group in the United States, saying any harm minors incur because of these bills belong to the governor and lawmakers who passed them.
"Gov. Ducey has chosen discrimination over protecting the well-being of vulnerable children," Cathryn Oakley, HRC's state legislative director and senior counsel, said in a statement. "This isn't leadership, it's cowardice. The Human Rights Campaign strongly condemns his actions and won't stop fighting for trans kids across the nation."
Kathy Hoffman, the state's Democratic superintendent of Public Instruction, also accused Ducey of siding with "extremism" and injecting "politics into our schools" with signing the bills she described as "hateful."
"How many kids will be harmed because of this legislations? How many kids will suffer until a future, more tolerant legislature rights theres wrongs?" she asked via Twitter. "I am deeply disappointed in this decision, and my heart breaks for the families and kids who will suffer because of these laws."
The American Civil Liberties Union responded with saying it will take Ducey to court.
"The government can't violate our right without a fight, it tweeted.
The abortion bill also came under quick attack, with healthcare advocates stating it will not only harm Arizonans but disproportionally harm lower-income Arizonans and minorities.
"Many of our clients must already travel to reach care, take time off of work at their own cost and arrange childcare. These are often insurmountable burdens because they add to the financial, logistical and legal obstacles faced by abortion seekers in the state," said Brianna Gordon from the Tucson Abortion Support Collective. "We don't need thoughts and prayers -- we need these lawmakers to take the boot off our necks."
The laws were signed as Republican-controlled states seeks to enact similar legislation.
According to HRC, 2021 was a record year for legislators to file bills targeting transgender people with this year on track to surpass that with 320 already under considered by states. Seventy of those bills concern banning trans youth from school sports.
The Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization focused on reproductive health and rights, said 71 state bills have been introduced this year to ban all or most abortions.
Last week, two Republican governors vetoed similar bills to Arizona's ban on trans youth from girls' sports.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox separately spiked their states' legislation on the grounds that they are essentially flawed.
Meanwhile, an abortion bill similar that of Arizona but enacted by Florida is currently before the Supreme Court.
Oklahoma governor signs transgender sports ban into law
March 30 (UPI) -- Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday signed a bill into law that prohibits transgender boys and girls from competing on sports teams consistent with their gender at public schools and colleges in the state.
The law will require that a parent or guardian of a student at a public school, public charter school or public college in the state who competes on a sports team sign an affidavit acknowledging their child's biological gender at birth and requiring them to only play on a sports team associated with that gender.
"Girls should compete against girls, boys should compete against boys," said Stitt, who said he was unaware of any transgender athletes in the state and had not consulted with any transgender people when considering the bill.
He added that he was not concerned with the potential of the NCAA removing events from the state, after suggesting it may if the measure were signed into law.
"Even if the NCAA had a problem with it, we are going to do what is right," Stitt said.
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association released a statement saying it would comply with the new law.
"With Gov. Stitt signing the Save Women's Sports Act into law this morning at the State Capitol, the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association will now comply with the new state law," the organization said.
Lawmakers who supported the bill referenced University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who won the 500-yeard freestyle at the NCAA women's swimming championship race earlier this month, becoming the first known transgender athlete to win a Division I national championship in any sport.
"I knew I must stand up for something I know to be true -- sex is a fact," said Republican state Sen. Julie Daniels, who said the result influenced her decision to support the bill.
"Five decades of Title IX is going to be very quickly undone if we allow just a few biological males to come in and start taking the medals, taking the ribbons, setting the fastest time and taking the scholarships."
"It tells nonbinary and gender diverse folks that policymakers not only don't understand, them but are going out of their way to make sure they feel unsafe and unwelcome in the state," McAfee said.
Tamya Cox-Toure, executive director of the ACLU Oklahoma, said the organization may seek a legal challenge to the law.
"Transgender people belong everywhere, but with the swipe of a pen and a public display, Gov. Stitt has sent a clear message to Oklahoma's vulnerable transgender youth that they are not welcome or accepted in our state," Cox-Toure said.
More than 150 anti-transgender laws have been proposed throughout the country this year, and on Wednesday Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and 20 other Republican lawmakers introduced a bill that would honor Emma Weyant, who finished second to Thomas in the NCAA swimming championship.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this month issued an official proclamation declaring Weyant, a Sarasota, Fla., native and University of Virginia swimmer, the "rightful winner" of the race.
March 30 (UPI) -- Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday signed a bill into law that prohibits transgender boys and girls from competing on sports teams consistent with their gender at public schools and colleges in the state.
The law will require that a parent or guardian of a student at a public school, public charter school or public college in the state who competes on a sports team sign an affidavit acknowledging their child's biological gender at birth and requiring them to only play on a sports team associated with that gender.
"Girls should compete against girls, boys should compete against boys," said Stitt, who said he was unaware of any transgender athletes in the state and had not consulted with any transgender people when considering the bill.
He added that he was not concerned with the potential of the NCAA removing events from the state, after suggesting it may if the measure were signed into law.
"Even if the NCAA had a problem with it, we are going to do what is right," Stitt said.
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association released a statement saying it would comply with the new law.
"With Gov. Stitt signing the Save Women's Sports Act into law this morning at the State Capitol, the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association will now comply with the new state law," the organization said.
Lawmakers who supported the bill referenced University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who won the 500-yeard freestyle at the NCAA women's swimming championship race earlier this month, becoming the first known transgender athlete to win a Division I national championship in any sport.
"I knew I must stand up for something I know to be true -- sex is a fact," said Republican state Sen. Julie Daniels, who said the result influenced her decision to support the bill.
"Five decades of Title IX is going to be very quickly undone if we allow just a few biological males to come in and start taking the medals, taking the ribbons, setting the fastest time and taking the scholarships."
"It tells nonbinary and gender diverse folks that policymakers not only don't understand, them but are going out of their way to make sure they feel unsafe and unwelcome in the state," McAfee said.
Tamya Cox-Toure, executive director of the ACLU Oklahoma, said the organization may seek a legal challenge to the law.
"Transgender people belong everywhere, but with the swipe of a pen and a public display, Gov. Stitt has sent a clear message to Oklahoma's vulnerable transgender youth that they are not welcome or accepted in our state," Cox-Toure said.
More than 150 anti-transgender laws have been proposed throughout the country this year, and on Wednesday Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and 20 other Republican lawmakers introduced a bill that would honor Emma Weyant, who finished second to Thomas in the NCAA swimming championship.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this month issued an official proclamation declaring Weyant, a Sarasota, Fla., native and University of Virginia swimmer, the "rightful winner" of the race.
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