Trans Sports Made Great Again? District Judge in Montana blocks Anti-Trans Sports Law

Seems Judges in Montana REALLY dislike the Montana Administration trying to ban things Transgender related. This time around, a law that would have blocked trans athletes from participating on collegiate women's sports teams has been permanently blocked.

Gallatin County District Court Judge Rienne McElyea issued this order, one week after verbal arguments on a legal challenge from the Montana Federation of Public Employees, Montana Public Interest Research Group, multiple individuals, and university faculty member associations.

Get our free mobile app

What was the Bill?

House Bill 112 was signed in by (California Born, Philadelphia-raised) Montana Governor Greg Gianforte. (ICYMI, Greg moved to Montana in 1995. So much for "Montana Values". More like... "I do what the party I align with follows closest to".) The governor's office, back in 2021, signed this in quietly (compared to other signings, which are a spectacle) and was reported signed into law by Montana Public Radio.

That bill was on the radar of nearly everyone during the Montana Legislative Session in 2021, with vivid debates happening. On April 23rd, that bill passed both chambers with an amendment and landed the following Monday on Gianforte's desk.

The many critics of this legislation (Montana's University System, and the American Academy of Pediatrics to name two) attempted to stop the bill at its start, however, failed due to the many organizations claiming cisgender women would face unfair athletic competition against transgender women.

Why did the judge do this?

District Judge McElyea gave the following response to striking down House Bill 112, along with House Bill 349 and Senate Bill 319 (all of which were struck down this week):

Attempts to directly control internal university affairs and inject legislative policy judgments into [Montana University System] administration, contrary to the letter and intent of the Montana Constitution.

What will come from this?

Certainly, the Gianforte Administration will throw a fit about it, and likely challenge the judge in some way. Otherwise, those who are transgender athletes here in Montana can rest easy knowing they have the same rights as anyone else for sports (for now).