Edwards: I Vetoed Trans Sports Bill in Part Because It Would Jeopardize Hosting NCAA, Other Sporting Events That Are ‘Anchor’ to Economy

On Wednesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “MTP Daily,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) stated that part of the reason he vetoed a bill on transgender youth in sports is because the bill would “put at risk our ability to host NCAA championship events and so forth going forward, which is really an anchor to so much of our tourism and our economy here in Louisiana.”

Edwards said, “Well, look, the bill was a solution in search of a problem. Because there was not any testimony in the legislature, even by the author of the bill that indicated that any of this is happening in Louisiana presently. But we know that the bill itself presents a problem. Because these are children by definition, and they’re some of the most emotionally fragile people in the state. And so the full weight of the state behind them in a way that is unnecessary — to use a sports metaphor — it’s kind of like piling on. And then on top of that, I believe you put at risk our ability to host NCAA championship events and so forth going forward, which is really an anchor to so much of our tourism and our economy here in Louisiana. So, it just didn’t seem like there was any real reason to do it.”

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