Gov. Greg Gianforte signed two bills into law Thursday that restrict transgender Montanans access to public accommodations and school sports.
House Bill 121 requires transgender people to use gender-specific public accommodations, like bathrooms or sleeping quarters, according to the reproductive anatomy they were born with. Public entities, like local governments, are civilly liable for enforcing the law.
That law is effective immediately. The ACLU of Montana has filed an emergency petition in Missoula, asking a judge to block the law while a constitutional challenge is litigated in court. The filing argues the law is discriminatory and could prevent transgender people from accessing critical services, like domestic violence shelters.
Gianforte also signed House Bill 300, which prohibits schools from allowing transgender women and girls to participate on women's sports teams. The law also prohibits schools from allowing transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.
That policy won’t take effect until July. It’s the state Legislature’s second attempt to regulate transgender students' participation in sports. The first was blocked in court.
Gianforte says he’s proud to “safeguard privacy and security for women and girls.”
