Tennessee governor signs transgender athlete penalty bill

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has signed legislation that will add harsh penalties against public schools that allow transgender athletes to participate in girls’ sports. Lee quietly signed the proposal last Friday without comment. The bill will go into effect July 1. The governor had previously signed a measure last year mandating that student athletes must prove their sex matches that listed on the student’s “original” birth certificate. This year, the GOP-controlled Legislature decided to add penalties to that ban — which is in effect even as a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality makes it way through court.