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Gov. Cooper vetoes bills surrounding transgender youth, sports

Republicans can still override all three bills and have them become law

Gov. Cooper vetoes bills surrounding transgender youth, sports

Republicans can still override all three bills and have them become law

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      COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. NORTH CAROLINA’S VETO BATTLE CONTINUES TONIGHT. THE GOVERNOR STRUCK DOWN THREE BILLS TODAY, ALL DEALING WITH TRANSGENDER YOUTH. REPUBLICANS CAN STILL OVERRIDE ALL THREE AND HAVE THEM BECOME LAW ANYWAY. WXII 12, KARA PETERS IS IN STUDIO TONIGHT WITH DETAILS ON THIS LEGISLATION AND REACTION TO TODAY’S DEVELOPMENTS. KARA. HEY, THAT’S RIGHT, KENNY. THESE BILLS RANGE FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ISSUES. ONE, DISCUSSING GENDER CHANGING PROCEDURES, ANOTHER ON TRANS YOUTH IN SPORTS. AND TONIGHT, WE’RE HEARING FROM BOTH SIDES OF THIS CONVERSATION, AS WELL AS THE POLITICAL ANALYSTS ON THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY’S ROLE IN WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT. GOVERNOR ROY COOPER STRIKING DOWN THREE BILLS PERTAINING TO CHILDREN AND GENDER IDENTITY. HOUSE BILL 574 OR FAIRNESS IN WOMEN’S SPORTS ACT, BANS TRANSGENDER GIRLS FROM COMPETING ON SPORTS TEAMS AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT LEVELS, INCLUDING HIGH SCHOOL. OTHER BILLS INCLUDE SENATE BILL 49 OR PARENTS BILL OF RIGHTS THAT CALLS FOR PARENTAL GUIDANCE OVER EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH OVER THEIR CHILDREN. AND HOUSE BILL 808, WHICH RELATES TO GENDER TRANSITION PROCEDURES AMONG MINORS. REVEREND JASMINE BEACH FERREIRA, WHO SUPPORTED THE GOVERNOR’S VETOES, IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN EQUALITY, A NASHVILLE BASED ORGANIZATION CATERED TO PROMOTING EQUALITY AMONG LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITIES. IT’S AN INCREDIBLE INSULT THAT LAWMAKERS ARE PURPORTING THAT THESE BILLS ARE ABOUT PROTECTING THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN IN OUR STATE. IF THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH PROTECTING CHILDREN IN OUR STATE. THERE’S A LAUNDRY LIST OF LEGISLATIVE ITEMS. THEY COULD BE PRIORITIZING EVERYTHING FROM FUNDING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO UNIVERSAL PRE-K TO ADDRESSING CHILDHOOD POVERTY AND HUNGER. AS JON DYNAN, A PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY, EXPLAINS, NORTH CAROLINA IS NOT THE FIRST STATE TO PUSH RELATED LEGISLATION. THE ISSUES THAT NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS ARE RESPONDING TO BY PROPOSING TO PASS THESE LAWS ARE SIMILAR TO THE ISSUES THAT ARE ALSO DRIVING PASSAGE OF THESE BILLS AND OTHER STATES ALMOST ENTIRELY REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED STATES. WE SHOULD BE CLEAR THESE ISSUES THAT ARE AT STAKE IN THESE BILLS THAT HAVE JUST BEEN VETOED VERY MUCH DIVIDE THE PARTIES. CONSERVATIVE GROUPS ALSO RESPONDING TO THE RECENT LEGISLATION. TAMMY FITZGERALD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NORTH CAROLINA VALUES, RELEASING THIS STATEMENT IN PART, INSTEAD OF SIDING WITH 70% OF NORTH CAROLINIANS ON PROTECTING WOMEN’S SPORTS FROM BIOLOGICAL MALES, STEALING THEIR OPPORTUNITIES, OR WITH THE 80% CALLING FOR TRANSPARENCY IN SCHOOLS OR SHIELDING CHILDREN FROM MEDICAL ACTIVISTS. GOVERNOR COOPER HAS SIDED WITH THE SMALL BUT LOUD RADICAL LEFT. WE URGE LEGISLATORS TO SWIFTLY OVERRIDE THESE THREE VETOES AND TO PROTECT NORTH CAROLINA’S WOMEN, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. STILL, BEACH BEARS SAYS CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN EQUALITY, AMONG OTHERS, ARE READY TO RESPOND IF THE LEGISLATION REGARDING LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITIES IS ENACTED. ONE PATHWAY TO FIGHTING THEM IS THROUGH THE COURTS. BUT PARALLEL TO THAT, IT’S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE GETTING RESOURCES DIRECTLY TO THE FAMILIES OF TRANSGENDER YOUTH, PARTICULARLY IN RESPONSE TO HB 808. WE’RE PROVIDING EMERGENCY GRANTS AND REFERRALS AND ASSISTANCE WITH ENSURING THAT CHILDREN THAT YOUTH ARE NOT LOSING ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE. THAT CAN BE LIFESAVING AND IS CERTAINLY LIFE AFFIRMING AND DYNAN WENT ON TO SAY EVEN IF LEGISLATORS OVERRIDE THE VETO, IT’S NOT THE END OF THE STORY. IN FACT, LITIGATION COULD ALSO UNFOLD FOLLOWING SOME OF THESE BILLS. WE REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL SPONSORS OF THE VARIOUS BILLS BUT HAVEN’T HEARD. BACK LIVE IN THE STUDIO.
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      Updated: 6:51 AM EDT Jul 6, 2023
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      Gov. Cooper vetoes bills surrounding transgender youth, sports

      Republicans can still override all three bills and have them become law

      WXII logo
      Updated: 6:51 AM EDT Jul 6, 2023
      Editorial Standards
      Gov. Roy Cooper struck down three bills pertaining to children and gender identity. HB 574, or Fairness in Women's Sports Act, bans transgender girls from competing on sports teams at several different levels, including high school.Other bills include SB 49, or Parents' Bill of Rights, which calls for parental guidance over education, health care and mental health over their children. HB 808 relates to gender transition procedures among minors.The Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrera, who supported the governor's vetoes, is the executive director of Campaign for Southern Equality. It's an Asheville-based organization catered to promoting equality among LGBTQ+ communities. "It's an incredible insult that lawmakers are reporting that these bills are about protecting the welfare of children in our state," Beach-Ferrera said. "If they were concerned with protecting children in our state, there's a laundry list of legislative items they could be prioritizing. Everything from funding our public schools to universal pre-K to addressing childhood poverty and hunger."As John Dinan, a political science professor at Wake Forest University, explains, North Carolina is not the first state to push related legislation. "The issues that North Carolina Republican legislators are responding to by proposing and passing these laws are similar to the issues that are also driving passage of these bills in other states," Dinan said. "Almost entirely Republican-controlled states, we should be clear, these issues that are at stake and these bills very much divide the parties."Conservative groups also responded to the recent legislation. Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of NC Values, released this statement in part: "Instead of siding with 70% of North Carolinians on protecting women's sports from biological males stealing their opportunities, or with the 80% calling for transparency in schools, or shielding children from medical activists, governor cooper has sided with the small, but loud radical left. We urge legislators to swiftly override these three vetoes, and to protect North Carolina's women, children, and families. "Still, Beach-Ferrera says campaigns for southern equality, among others, are ready to respond if the legislation regarding LGBTQ+ communities is enacted. "One pathway of fighting them is through the courts. Parallel to that, it's critically important that we are getting resources directly to the families of transgender youth, particularly in response to HB808," Beach-Ferrera said."We're providing emergency grants and referrals and assistance with ensuring that youth are not losing access to medical care that could be life-saving and certainly life-affirming."Dinan went on to say even if legislators override the veto, it's not the end of the story. Litigation could also unfold following some of these bills.

      Gov. Roy Cooper struck down three bills pertaining to children and gender identity.

      HB 574, or Fairness in Women's Sports Act, bans transgender girls from competing on sports teams at several different levels, including high school.

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      Other bills include SB 49, or Parents' Bill of Rights, which calls for parental guidance over education, health care and mental health over their children. HB 808 relates to gender transition procedures among minors.

      The Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrera, who supported the governor's vetoes, is the executive director of Campaign for Southern Equality. It's an Asheville-based organization catered to promoting equality among LGBTQ+ communities.

      "It's an incredible insult that lawmakers are reporting that these bills are about protecting the welfare of children in our state," Beach-Ferrera said. "If they were concerned with protecting children in our state, there's a laundry list of legislative items they could be prioritizing. Everything from funding our public schools to universal pre-K to addressing childhood poverty and hunger."

      As John Dinan, a political science professor at Wake Forest University, explains, North Carolina is not the first state to push related legislation.

      "The issues that North Carolina Republican legislators are responding to by proposing and passing these laws are similar to the issues that are also driving passage of these bills in other states," Dinan said. "Almost entirely Republican-controlled states, we should be clear, these issues that are at stake and these bills very much divide the parties."

      Conservative groups also responded to the recent legislation. Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of NC Values, released this statement in part:

      "Instead of siding with 70% of North Carolinians on protecting women's sports from biological males stealing their opportunities, or with the 80% calling for transparency in schools, or shielding children from medical activists, governor cooper has sided with the small, but loud radical left. We urge legislators to swiftly override these three vetoes, and to protect North Carolina's women, children, and families. "

      Still, Beach-Ferrera says campaigns for southern equality, among others, are ready to respond if the legislation regarding LGBTQ+ communities is enacted.

      "One pathway of fighting them is through the courts. Parallel to that, it's critically important that we are getting resources directly to the families of transgender youth, particularly in response to HB808," Beach-Ferrera said.

      "We're providing emergency grants and referrals and assistance with ensuring that youth are not losing access to medical care that could be life-saving and certainly life-affirming."

      Dinan went on to say even if legislators override the veto, it's not the end of the story. Litigation could also unfold following some of these bills.