Montana House Votes to Discipline Transgender Lawmaker
HELENA, Mont. — The Montana House of Representatives took the extraordinary step on Wednesday of blocking a transgender lawmaker from the House floor for the remainder of the legislative session after an escalating standoff over her remarks on transgender issues in House debate.
The vote was 68 to 32 in the Republican-controlled chamber. The speaker adjourned the session immediately after the vote. The blocked lawmaker, Representative Zooey Zephyr, will still be allowed to cast votes during House proceedings for the remainder of the session, which concludes on May 5, but must do so remotely.
The move is the culmination of a weeklong battle between House leadership and Ms. Zephyr, who was barred from participating in deliberations on the House floor after she made impassioned comments during debate over a bill that would prohibit hormone treatments and surgical care for transgender minors. The bill has since been sent to Gov. Greg Gianforte, who has indicated that he will sign it.
It was the second eye-catching vote in a matter of weeks by a Republican legislative majority punishing dissent over a fractious issue. Earlier this month, Republicans in Tennessee ousted two Democratic state lawmakers over a gun control protest. Both have since been returned to their seats temporarily ahead of special elections later this year.
Source: The New York Times
