Trans sports ban vetoed by Kentucky governor

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a complete ban on transgender women and girls in sports from the sixth grade and into college.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a bill Wednesday that would ban transgender women and girls from playing on school sports teams that correspond with their gender identity from grades six and up into college.

Under the proposed bill, students would play on teams based on their sex assigned at birth.

Beshear, who is a Democrat, joins two Republican governors who vetoed similar bills in Utah and Indiana. In his veto letter, he said he shares their concerns that the bills could provoke lawsuits against the state and cause harm against transgender people.

"Transgender children deserve public officials' efforts to demonstrate that they are valued members of our communities through compassion, kindness and empathy, even if not understanding," the governor stated.