North Dakota Gov. Burgum vetoes transgender sports ban, following similar veto by South Dakota's Noem

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would ban transgender girls from playing in girls high school sports following a similar move earlier this year by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. 

Burgum, a Republican, said in a veto message reported by KX News that the state's high school sports association should be the organization to decide how to keep a level playing field. He also said, "the bill would unnecessarily inject the state into a local issue by creating a ban with myriad unforeseen consequences."  "To date, there has not been a single recorded incident of a transgender girl attempting to play on a North Dakota girls team," Burgum said in the veto message, KX News reported. "Further, NDHSAA already has regulations in place for participation in sex-separated interscholastic contests by transgender students. These regulations require transgender girls to undergo testosterone suppression treatment...for a full calendar year before they are eligible to compete." Republicans in the North Dakota legislature, however, said the bill would have ensured a level playing field for girls playing high school sports.