Mar 22, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Indiana's GOP governor vetoes transgender sports bill

Rebecca Falconer

Eric Holcomb, governor of Indiana, during a meeting with President Biden, business leaders and governors in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, March 9. — Gov. Eric Holcomb of Indiana. Photo: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) vetoed a bill Monday that would have banned transgender girls from taking part in girls' sports in schools.

Why it matters: Holcomb's action sets him apart from the 11 Republican governors who have in recent years signed similar bills into law, per the New York Times.

Driving the news: Holcomb said in a letter that the bill, H.E.A. 1041, which had been approved by Indiana's Republican-led legislature, would be likely to face legal challenges.

He noted that the "presumption of the policy laid out in HEA 1041 is that there is an existing problem in K-12 sports in Indiana that requires further state government intervention."
"It implies that the goals of consistency and fairness in competitive female sports are not currently being met," Holcomb added. "After thorough review, I find no evidence to support either claim even if I support the overall goal."

The big picture: A record number of bills targeting trans youth passed last year. Republicans in at least 25 states introduced over 60 bills targeting transgender children.

Go deeper: Examining the panic around trans kids in sports

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Indiana's GOP governor vetoes transgender sports bill

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