State Reps. Don Lehe (R-Brookston) and Heath VanNatter (R-Kokomo) Tuesday joined the majority of Indiana’s lawmakers in successfully overriding the governor’s veto of legislation protecting the integrity of girls’ sports.
House and Senate legislators voted on Tuesday at the Statehouse to override the governor’s veto of House Enrolled Act 1041, which prohibits biological males from competing in K-12 girls’ sports in Indiana. VanNatter said the vote came as part of technical corrections day, where lawmakers can take up any vetoes and fix technical errors in laws passed during the prior session.
“When biological males compete against biological females, there is no longer an equal playing field,” VanNatter said. “This is about fairness in sports and ensuring girls have opportunities to play on a team, compete and earn scholarships.”
Indiana will join at least 16 other states that have similar laws on the books protecting female sports. Lehe said concerned parents reached out after an increasing number of biological males have dominated the national spotlight in girls’ athletic events across the nation.
“With their physical advantages, allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports is simply unfair,” Lehe said. “Female athletes don’t deserve to be put in this situation, and I returned to the Statehouse to stand up for them and override the governor’s veto.”
There are certain biological differences that give males an unfair advantage over females in sports, like greater muscle mass, bone density and cardio capacity. Lehe said the vote Tuesday was especially important as June marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which ensures women have an equal opportunity to play and compete in sports.
In Indiana, a gubernatorial veto can be overridden with a constitutional majority vote in both chambers, and the bill becomes a law without the governor’s signature.For more information about House Enrolled Act 1041, effective on July 1, 2022, visit iga.in.gov.