ND lawmakers advance another round of anti-trans bills

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Lawmakers advanced another set of bills related to transgender people in North Dakota.

This time, the House passed two bathroom bills. One of them is House Bill 1522, which would do two things: first, it would require districts to establish a policy to provide separate restroom accommodations for transgender students. It also bans trans students from using bathrooms that don’t align with their sex at birth. As one might expect, lawmakers are divided.

“I have nine granddaughters and I sure hope that as the oldest one goes to middle school, that she’s not confronted in a locker room by biological males at the age of 11 or 12,” said Representative SuAnn Olson, R-Baldwin.

“It is not their intention to take advantage of people or to violate other peoples’ space. It’s literally to use the bathroom,” said Representative Josh Boschee, D-Fargo.

House Bill 1522 passed by a vote of 73-19. The House has now passed anti-trans bills related to bathroom use, sports participation, birth record amendments, and health care. All have passed with veto-proof majorities.

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