The government of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, on Friday returned a bill banning transgender girls and women from participating in women’s sports.
After reviewing the measure for nearly ten days, Noem addressed the “style and form” within the bill, saying she would sign it if lawmakers agreed to it.
“I support this legislation and hope that House Bill 1217, with the changes I propose, will become law,” Noem said in a statement Friday afternoon.
BIDDING TRANSGENDER POLICY MEETS BROAD STATE-BASED REPUBLICAN COUNTER-ATTACK
The staunch Conservatives have challenged the wording of the legislation, claiming that it has left schools and team players vulnerable to lawsuits, and created an unworkable administrative burden.[s] at schools “by forcing them to require annual forms proving sex, age and a lack of” performance-enhancing drugs. “
But most importantly, she rejected their calls for bans at the collegiate level, telling lawmakers it could mean South Dakota athletes lose in national tournaments, as the NCAA includes policies for transgender student-athletes.
“While I certainly do not always agree with the steps these sanctioning institutions are taking, I understand that collegial athletics needs such a system – a patchwork of fifty states is not workable,” she said.
Similar bills have surfaced across the country in recent years, with 42 bills enacted in 26 states in 2021 alone, an LGBTQ advocacy group, Freedom for All Americans, confirmed to Fox News.
This year’s legislative efforts have almost doubled with 22 measures introduced in 2020 – a significant increase in the two bills proposed in 2019.
If the South Dakota legislature tries to dominate the governor’s decision, the State House and Senate would need a two-thirds majority to proceed – a requirement that could be a challenge for state republics.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The State House passed the bill in February with strong support in a 50-17 vote. But the Senate appears to be more divided with a 20-15 vote, without the necessary two-thirds majority to bypass the governor.