Transgender sports ban veto likely to be overriden in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY » Utah’s Republican lawmakers were 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, and his veto letter drew national attention with a poignant argument that such laws target vulnerable kids who already have high rates of suicide attempts. Business leaders are sounding the alarm that it could have a multimillion-dollar economic impact for the state, including the possible loss of the NBA All-Star Game in less than a year.

But they have support from a vocal conservative base that has particular sway in Utah’s state primary season unfolding now. Eleven other states have enacted similar bans, and Arizona lawmakers voted to join them Thursday.