5 things to know about Republican presidential candidate Doug Burgum
3. Burgum vetoed bill banning men from women’s sports but reversed course 2 years later
In the past, Burgum has not hesitated to veto bills passed by his Republican-dominated state legislature. One bill, approved by the state House of Representatives in a 66-25 vote and passed by the state Senate in a 35-11 vote, contained a provision prohibiting colleges and universities in North Dakota from awarding grants to organizations that provide abortions and imposed a penalty of $2.8 million on any institution that violated the ban.
Burgum left most of the measure intact but vetoed the provision establishing a $2.8 million penalty, justifying his decision by describing it as “void of due process” and “egregious in its intent.” In his veto message, he expressed concern that “the State Board of Higher Education is simply instructed to deduct the $2.8 million without providing the institution with formal notice, an opportunity for hearing, or a determination by an objective fact finder.”
In 2021, Burgum vetoed a bill that would have banned trans-identified males from competing in women’s sports. At the time, he warned that it would amount to “a ban with myriad unforeseen consequences.” He also expressed confidence in the North Dakota High School Activities Association’s protection of women’s sports, noting that it requires trans-identified males to “undergo testosterone suppression treatment for gender transition for a full calendar year before they are eligible to compete in girls’ sports.”
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Two years later, this past April, Burgum approved legislation banning males who identify as female from competing in women’s sports at both the K-12 and collegiate levels. He cited the bills as consistent with objectives “to continue to ensure fairness in North Dakota girls’ sports and demonstrate compassion and understanding for all North Dakota youth,” also noting that concerns about receiving blowback in the form of major tournaments pulling out of the state “have not materialized in the roughly 20 states that have passed similar legislation.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
