The Montana House Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance a bill that would prohibit transgender students from participating on school sports teams of the gender with which they identify.
The bill passed in an 11-8 vote, with one Republican lawmaker joining all committee Democrats in opposing the bill. Rep. Mallerie Stromswold, R-Billings, who voted against the bill, graduated from high school in 2020, making her the youngest committee member.
The measure goes next to a vote on the House floor.
Proponents of the bill say the measure will protect the integrity of women’s sports. The bill is opposed by health care groups, businesses, and human rights advocates in the state, who say it would harm the emotional and physical well-being of transgender youth and harm the state’s economy.
Rep. Robert Farris-Olsen, D-Helena, said that passing the bill would violate the right to privacy enshrined in the state constitution and could mean Montana would lose federal education funding under an executive order signed by President Joe Biden during his first day in office, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The executive order states that “children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or school sports.”
“Not only do we run afoul of the U.S. and Montana constitutions, we also potentially risk all of our federal funding for education in Montana by passing this law,” Farris-Olsen said. Read more via AP
Also brings up the new executive order from the Biden administration that could threaten MT schools' federal funding if the pass this bill (see thread from @S_K_Rossi for more). https://t.co/Mtey2j4O1N
— Mara Silvers (@mara_silvers) January 21, 2021