(The Lion) — A majority of Maine’s state legislators likely oppose transgender-identifying males competing in women’s sports, according to one Democratic lawmaker.
Freshman state Rep. Dave Rollins, D-Augusta, whose daughter Katie played college basketball at Harvard University, opposes males competing in women’s sports.
Rollins says other Democrats in the state legislature agree with him on the issue.
“I also think there’s going to be overwhelming bipartisan support for that,” he told Bangor Daily News, adding he thinks most voters in his district agree with him.
“A big part of my constituency, and my own personal family values, aren’t supportive of biologically born boys competing against females,” Rollins told News Center Maine.
Democrats control the state’s House 76 to 73 Republicans plus 2 independents. It would only take three Democrats joining the other side to form a majority on the issue. That same three-vote swing would be needed in the Senate, where Democrats lead 20-15.
However, after recently censuring state Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, for her opposition of trans athletes competing against females, Democrats are attempting to explain themselves.
House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, claims the body censured her for posting the name and picture of a minor rather than the opinion she expressed.
“This is about the conduct of a member of this body,” he told reporters last week.
Libby was censured by a 75-70 vote over a Facebook post in which she expressed disapproval of a male transgender athlete named Katie Spencer winning two Maine Principals’ Association Class B state championships last month – in pole vault and a team state title.
With the censure, Libby cannot vote or speak on the House floor until she apologizes. She has no plans to do so and may seek an alternative path to restore those rights.
In response to that action last week, Rep. Liz Caruso, R-Caratunk, introduced legislation to bar transgender-identifying athletes from competing in Maine K-12 school sports.
Even if the measure passes through the Legislature, it’s unlikely to become law as Gov. Janet Mills supports transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
Mills, a Democrat, promised Maine would sue President Trump over his executive order threatening to withhold federal funding from states that let males compete in women’s sports.
As the Pine Tree State resists Trump’s order, states like Georgia are falling in line.
The Georgia House and Senate have overwhelmingly passed legislation to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports. The Republican-controlled Legislature will likely get a final proposal to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk later this month, MSN reports.
