His signature came Friday night as he included the ban among the first slate of bills he’s endorsed this legislative session; he also approved the controversial measure to block collective bargaining for public unions.
Advocacy groups and residents across the state had pleaded over the past few weeks for Cox to veto both measures.
In a recent letter to the governor, the ACLU of Utah wrote about HB269, the dorm bill: “These attacks harm trans people and anyone perceived as a threat by leaders who are supposed to represent all of us. As governor, you can stop this intrusion into Utahns’ personal lives by vetoing HB269.”
Cox signed the bill without comment.
It shows somewhat of a continuing departure for Cox who, when the first piece of legislation against the transgender community came across his desk in 2022, vetoed it. That was a bill banning transgender girls from participating in high school sports.
At the time, Cox wrote a lengthy letter defending the transgender community that won him wide acclaim and many saw him as an ally. “Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few,” he said then.
The Legislature overrode his veto.
Read the full story at sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.