Lawmakers in the state legislative Judiciary Committee largely came to an impasse in considering several bills to block transgender athletes in girls’ sports on Tuesday.
At least two bills that would strip funding for schools that allow transgender athletes were deadlocked at 6-6 votes, with Democratic Representative Dani O’Halloran of Brewer joining Republicans to support the bills.
There were seven bills on the Judiciary Committee schedule to bar transgender participation in girls’ sports, restrict usage of bathrooms and changing rooms, and require schools to use names and genders on children’s birth certificates.
The committee heard testimony from advocates on both sides of the issue.
Erica O’Connell with the conservative group Alliance Defending Freedom said the Title IX law, as passed by Congress, does not provide for transgender participation in sports.
LGBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders attorney Mary Bonauto says there’s nothing in the Title IV law that blocks transgender participation in sports.
The bills will now go before the full House and Senate.
The committee voted strongly against a bill that would remove gender identity from the Maine Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity
