(TRUNEWS) South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard made a surprising move Tuesday when he vetoed a bill that would have prevented students from using opposite-sex restrooms and locker rooms.
In recent days, transgender lobbyists pushed for the Republican to stop the bill, according to The Washington Times, using the argument the law is discriminatory and would cause emotional distress to transgender students.
Dauggard said local school districts should make the decision.
“As policymakers in South Dakota, we often recite that the best government is the government closest to the people,” Mr. Daugaard said in a statement. “Local school districts can, and have, made necessary restroom and locker room accommodations that serve the best interests of all students, regardless of biological sex or gender identity.”
He also indicated he wanted to avoid a potential lawsuit.
The bill passed by a wide margin in both the House and Senate. Those who voted in favor of the measure claim it was a compromise because the schools would be allowed to provide alternative facilities to accommodate the students.
There may be enough votes for an override, but it is not clear if the legislators would try it. The Senate appears to be four votes shy of being able to override.
South Dakota would have been the first state to allow such a law. Similar legislation has come up in other states. TRUNEWS reported last month that Maine’s governor stopped the Department of Education from punishing schools that do not allow transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their choice.
The post South Dakota Gov. vetoes transgender bill appeared first on TRUNEWS with Rick Wiles.
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