North Carolina governor vetoes bipartisan bill protecting girls' sports

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have prevented biological males from competing against women and girls in sports. 

Cooper's rejection of the bipartisan "Fairness in Women's Sports Act" was one of three vetoes he issued on Wednesday, but the other two bills only received Republican support. 

He also vetoed the "Parents' Bill of Rights," which would give parents and guardians a greater say in their children's education, and the "Act to Prohibit Gender Transition Procedures for Minors," which would ban most hormone therapies and gender surgeries on children in the state.

Even though the sports bill passed with Democratic votes in the House and the Senate, Cooper targeted Republicans in a statement addressing the three vetoes.

"For campaign purposes only, Republicans are serving up a triple threat of political culture wars using government to invade the rights and responsibilities of parents and doctors, hurting vulnerable children and damaging our state’s reputation and economy like they did with the harmful bathroom bill," Cooper said, referring to the 2016 law that forced state-funded facilities to only allow people to use the bathroom that corresponded with their biological sex. The law generated nationwide controversy and was repealed in 2020.

"Instead of scheming for the next election, Republicans should get to work investing in our public schools and teachers, lowering the cost of living and creating more stability for middle class families," he also said.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.