PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota bill that would have banned transgender women and girls from female sports was effectively vetoed by Gov. Kristi Noem, but she quickly issued executive orders to enact a limited ban. Noem’s partial veto of the bill has riled GOP lawmakers and tarnished the Republican governor’s status among social conservatives. Shortly after the bill died, the governor, who has emerged as a prominent national figure in the GOP, issued two executive orders that Republican lawmakers said amounted to an effort to salvage her reputation with conservatives. Transgender advocates say the efforts would deprive transgender children of a chance to belong to sports teams.
(DRG Media Group)- In a news release Noem said, “Only girls should play girls’ sports. Given the legislature’s failure to accept my proposed revisions to HB 1217, I am immediately signing two executive orders to address this issue: one to protect fairness in K-12 athletics, and another to do so in college athletics. Additionally, I will be working with legislative leaders to schedule a special legislative session in late May or early June. The special session will address this important issue, as well as others. The implementation of medicinal marijuana will require consideration of additional legislation. And the latest congressional spending bill may require legislative action once we fully understand its impact on our state budget.”
Noem sent this letter to the legislature explaining her executive orders, as well as the need for further legislative action on this subject.
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