Governor Burgum vetoes pronoun bill

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Governor Doug Burgum vetoed SB 2231, which would prohibit public schools and state agencies from requiring the usage of pronouns that don’t correspond to an individual’s sex assigned at birth. He said, “the First Amendment already prohibits compelled speech and protects teachers from speaking contrary to their beliefs, and courts across the country have upheld these rights.” He went on to say, “Ambiguity throughout this bill would invite lawsuits and put teachers in the precarious position of trying to determine how to refer to students without violating law.”

It heads back to the Senate for reconsideration. To override the Governor’s veto, 32 of 47 senators and 63 of 94 representatives must approve of the bill.

Copyright 2023 KFYR. All rights reserved.