“I think Assemblyman Ward, who chairs that hearing, wants to make an example out of us,” said Assemblyman Essayli, who suspects his Democratic colleagues will “fiercely oppose the bill.”
California Assemblyman Bill Essayli is set to propose a bill, AB 844, to the State Assembly in Sacramento Tues. April 1, to reverse a law that allows trans women to participate in girls and women’s sports in the state of California.
“My bill is not anti-trans, it’s just protecting women and young girls in vulnerable places,” Assemblyman Essayli said in defense of his bill, stressing his commitment to safeguarding the sanctity of women’s “bathrooms, locker rooms, and their sports teams.”
Earlier this week, Essayli failed to force a vote on AB 844 before the scheduled hearing, during the Assembly’s formal recognition of ‘Trans Day of Visibility’. Democrat lawmakers immediately shot down the proposal, rejecting the vote 45-16. The bill broadly demands that the California Educational Code be amended to “prohibit a pupil whose sex was assigned male at birth from participating on a girls’ interscholastic sports team.”
Looking to today, the Assemblyman suspects his colleagues at the State Capitol hearing the bill, Democratic Assemblyman Chris Ward and the Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism Committee, are itching to “make an example out of him”. He does not expect this committee will act in good faith, and anticipates Chairman Ward “intends to fiercely oppose the bill.”
This would be probable, as Ward and CA’s Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, were “profoundly sickened and frustrated” by remarks Gov Gavin Newsom made on his podcast. The governor called trans athletes in girls sports an “issue of fairness,” to appeal to conservative voters.
In reaction to AB 844, Assemblyman Ward’s view is that there is “a lot of public debate out there,” about transgender athletes, “but also a lot of disinformation.” Like many Democrats, he finds the issue to be a nonstarter about what he thinks is only a “handful of individuals”.
Many Americans disagree. Recent studies revealed, 79% of Americans said trans female athletes should be excluded in women’s sports. Another 66% said they support inclusive policies to trans athletes, but 34% opposed them or were indifferent.
“California has undermined the historic efforts to safeguard women in schools and vulnerable spaces,” Essayli told KCRA 3. “We’ll find out if Sacramento Democrats will do the right thing and stand with Governor Newsom and me on this common sense issue.”
AB 844 is to be accompanied by a similar bill up for hearing, AB 89 proposed by Rancho Santa Margarita Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez, which specifies on high school sports. Gov Newsom has yet to acknowledge or comment on either of the bills up for consideration.
