MADISON – Today, legislative Republicans in the State Senate held a public hearing on two bills that would harm transgender and nonbinary youth. The Wisconsin Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus submitted the attached testimony in opposition to Senate Bill 377/Assembly Bill 378 and Senate Bill 378/Assembly Bill 377. The Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus released the following statement:
“Today, the Senate Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families held a public hearing on two bills that prevent transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. As we have reiterated over the past several months as the State Assembly has moved these bills through the legislative process, these bills will not become law in Wisconsin.
“Governor Tony Evers has clearly and emphatically promised that he will veto these bills if they reach his desk – both during the current legislative session and when they were first introduced during the 2021-2022 legislative session. Just last week, Governor Evers vetoed a different proposal (2023 Assembly Bill 465) attacking gender-affirming healthcare for transgender and nonbinary youth in Wisconsin. If these bills are passed by legislative Republicans, they too will be vetoed.
“Our Republican colleagues know that SB 377/AB 378 and SB 378/AB 377 will not become law. The only thing that their continued movement through the legislative process will do is hurt the mental health of transgender and nonbinary youth in Wisconsin.
“Today, we heard testimony from many Wisconsinites who shared why these bills are harmful and dangerous. We know that recent national surveys have shown that 86% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported negative impacts to their health from the introduction of anti-transgender bills, and nearly 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ young people stated that their mental health was poor “always” or “most of the time” due to anti-LGBTQ+ policies and legislation.
“We continue to call on our Republican colleagues to stop giving these bills an official platform and to not take any further action on them. The Wisconsin Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus stands with transgender and nonbinary youth in Wisconsin. To the transgender and nonbinary people of our state: you are seen, you are loved, and you belong here.”
