The Louisiana House of Representatives has voted to sustain a bill that would ban trans athletes from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity.
A Republican Louisiana House majority fell short of two votes to overturn Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto of anti-trans regulation.
The Bill, SB 156, would prevent trans women and girls from participating in women’s sports. The Louisiana House vote concluded at 68-30, with Republicans falling short of the 70 votes they needed to achieve a first-ever veto-override.
On Tuesday, July 20, voted to override Gov. Edward’s on the anti-trans bill. Senate votes acquired enough votes – 26 votes- for the requirement of Senate.
Louisiana lawmakers failed to get the needed number of votes which blocked the veto override which aimed to ban trans athletes from competing in sports in line with their gender identity.
Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Montana, and West Virginia are seven states that have enacted anti-transgender legislation.
Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President said the failed veto override “saved” trans kids from a “dangerous bill”.
“Today, the Louisiana House failed to force a discriminatory anti-transgender sports ban bill into law. By doing so, transgender young people across the state from have been saved from being targeted in a dangerous bill that denies them the fundamental right to be treated just like any other kid,” David said
Adding: “Sustaining Governor Bel Edwards’ veto by rejecting this arbitrary, discriminatory bill affirms the reality that transgender people have been playing sports for years without incident. There is simply no basis — no evidence or local examples of the issue this bill was trying to address. This legislation was, simply put, a dangerous waste of time and Louisianans deserve a legislature that spends more time and energy on the issues that are actually plaguing the state and need addressing.”
25 anti-LGBTQ bills have been enacted into law and more than 250 anti-LGBTQ bills have been under consideration in state legislatures across the country, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
Related: Taya Ashton is the 31st known trans person to be killed in the US this year
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