The Maine Senate has rejected a slate of bills that would ban transgender athletes from competing on girls' and women's sports teams, raising prospects that none of the proposals will become law.
One of the proposals, which narrowly cleared the Democratic-controlled House last week, would prohibit schools and colleges from allowing anyone born male from participating in athletic programs designated for girls and women. But the Senate voted against the measure, 21-13, which means it will fail barring a turnaround in later votes.
The Senate also opposed two other proposals that included additional provisions restricting the rights of transgender students to use bathrooms, locker rooms, names and pronouns aligning with their gender identity. Those bills were also narrowly opposed in the Democratic-controlled House.
The votes come amid an ongoing political and legal fight over transgender rights that has intensified since February, when Maine Gov. Janet Mills was confronted at the White House by President Donald Trump. The administration unleashed a retaliation campaign designed to force the state to comply with the president's executive order.
The issue is now part of a federal lawsuit brought against the state by the Trump Administration.
Maine drew national attention on the issue this winter when Republican Rep. Laurel Libby of Auburn criticized the state's policy by posting a picture on Facebook of a transgender athlete who had just won a high school girls' track championship. The post quickly went viral and, days later, President Trump singled out Maine as he threatened to cut off federal funding unless the state complied with his executive order banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, now famously responded "See you in court." Months later, that statement has rung true as the state and the Trump administration have filed lawsuits against each other.
The issue has deeply divided the Maine Legislature, the public and even youth athletes who are most affected by the policy. During public hearings on the bills, high school and collegiate athletes testified on both sides of the issue.
