On the same day President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes in girls' and women’s sports, the Montana House of Representatives endorsed related legislation that would only allow biological females to compete in women's and girls’ sports.
House Bill 300, sponsored by Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, R-Billings, would define allowing a biological male to compete in women’s and girls’ sports or use women’s or girls’ locker rooms as an act of discrimination toward female athletes. The bill effectively bans transgender individuals from competing in those activities, both K-12 and college.
Proponents of the legislation, including the Republican-held Governor’s Office and Office of Public Instruction, said the bill is needed to protect women’s sports under Title IX.
“Today is important as we go forward, implementing Title IX as it’s supposed to be implemented. Protecting women and protecting our daughters, protecting our granddaughters so that they can compete, so that they can rise or even fall, but do it with grace, dignity and do it without men in our restrooms, our locker rooms and in our sports,” said Seekins-Crowe.
Opponents of HB 300 said the legislation discriminates against trans-Montanans.
“A bill like this, it is at its face an attack against trans people that they deem trans people most susceptible to public pressure,” said Rep. Zooey, Zephyr, D-Missoula, who is a transgender woman.
On Wednesday, HB 300 passed second reading in the Montana House of Representatives 58 to 42 on a party-line vote.
Also on Wednesday, House Bill 121 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill would tie the use of public bathrooms to an individual's sex at birth. Someone could then sue those facilities if they were not in compliance.
HB 121 bill now moves to the Senate floor for debate.
