Transgender sports ban veto likely to be overridden in Utah

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST and SAM METZ
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah’s Republican lawmakers are preparing for a Friday push to override Gov. Spencer Cox’s veto of legislation banning transgender youth athletes from playing on girls teams. Cox was the second GOP governor this week to overrule state lawmakers on a sports-participation ban amid a nationwide culture war over transgender issues. His veto letter drew national attention with a poignant argument that such laws target vulnerable kids who already have high rates of suicide attempts. But 11 states have enacted similar bans, and they are a key topic for the party’s vocal conservative base. Still, there are also fears that a ban could mean millions in lost revenue, including a 2023 All-Star Game.