STATE HOUSE–Indiana lawmakers will come back to the Statehouse Tuesday for “corrections day”, to clean up the language in bills before they become law. They will also likely override Gov. Holcomb’s veto of a bill banning transgender girls from participating in K-12 sports in public schools. While some Republicans believe the much-debated bill (HB 1041) will make for fair competition, others believe it is unnecessary and oppressive.
In an op-ed written last week by Republican Congressman Jim Banks, who represents northeast Indiana in Washington, Banks defends the bill, saying polls show that it is what people want, despite Gov. Holcomb’s veto, which if not overturned, will kill the bill.
“According to a recent poll commissioned by American Principles Project, 65 percent of Indiana voters supported the legislation, while just 27 percent opposed it,” said Banks.
“The same poll showed that a full majority of the state disagreed with Holcomb’s veto, most of them “strongly.” The legislation itself wasn’t extreme — similar laws have been enacted across the country. And the bill had little trouble passing out of the state House (66-30) and Senate (32-18).”
Former Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard, also a Republican, told WISH TV’s All INdiana Politics this weekend that he believes the bill is populist politics, pointing out that polls do not always go along with Republican principles.
“Some national organization says, you should look at this. It’ll make you look good back home. That’s not the way to be governing. They should be governing, what’s the best thing to do for the State of Indiana in the long-term. This is not it,” he said. “Passing an unnecessary law is not are supposed to do, who profess to be for limited government.”
Ballard called the bill oppressive, saying he hopes the veto stands and the bill dies.
LINK: WISH TV All INdiana Politics
Holcomb’s argument is that no incidents have happened which require a law be passed, saying the Indiana High School Athletic Association already has rules that would work if a transgender girl, or a boy who identifies as a girl, would want to compete on a girls team.
“Holcomb’s squeamishness typifies the Republican Party of old: good mostly for passing tax cuts and not being Democrats, but not much else. Unfortunately, that is wholly inadequate for this moment,” said Banks’ opinion piece.
“We are up against an insane movement that denies biological reality and, even worse, wants to use government institutions to indoctrinate our children with a deluge of propaganda and nonsense. No “truce” is possible in this position, nor would it be desirable given the stakes,” he said.
Banks and other like-minded Republicans, which includes most of the Indiana General Assembly, believe there is a need to take action, and they have, and have the opportunity to do so again Tuesday, should their thinking prevail.
Neither Banks nor Ballard have any say in making state law or policy.
