JACKSON, Miss. (AP) 鈥� Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Monday that he has signed a new law regulating , locker rooms and dormitories in public education buildings, making Mississippi at least the 12th state to restrict transgender students from that align with their gender identity.
Reeves criticized a federal regulation that bar transgender students from school bathrooms aligning with their gender, among other provisions. Republican attorneys general from and some are challenging the federal regulation.
鈥淚t鈥檚 mind blowing that this is what Joe Biden鈥檚 America has come to," Reeves wrote on social media. 鈥淗aving to pass common sense policies that protect women鈥檚 spaces was unimaginable a few years ago. But here we are ... we have to pass a law to protect women in bathrooms, sororities, locker rooms, dressing rooms, shower rooms, and more.鈥�
The law requires all public education institutions in the state to equip their buildings with single-sex bathrooms, changing areas and dormitories, as well as at least one gender-neutral bathroom and changing room.
The new law, which took effect immediately, says people would only be allowed to enter spaces that correspond to their sex assigned at birth, regardless of their appearance or any procedures they鈥檝e had to affirm their gender identity. Those who violate the policy could be sued, but schools, colleges and universities would be protected from liability.
It also declares that people are either male or female "as observed or clinically verified at birth, without regard to a person鈥檚 psychological, chosen, or subjective experience, feelings, actions, or sense of self.鈥�
During legislative debate, Democrats said the new restrictions on bathrooms and other facilities would put transgender people at risk. They also criticized Republicans for spending time on the issue as other legislative priorities remained unfinished.
In 2021, Reeves signed legislation to from competing on girls鈥� or women鈥檚 sports teams. Last year, he signed a bill to for anyone younger than 18.
The Mississippi proposals were among being considered in state legislatures around the country as Republicans try to restrict transgender people鈥檚 access to gender-affirming care, bathrooms and sports, among other things.
Emily Wagster Pettus, The Associated Press
