Debate over transgender sports ban brings Alaska House to a standstill

Rep. Jennie Armstrong, D-Anchorage, shouts against House Bill 183 on Saturday, May 11, 2024, as the House Sergeant at Arms stands behind her. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

More than 10 hours after it opened debate on a bill that would ban transgender girls from girls sports teams in Alaska, the Alaska House of Representatives remained bogged down on the issue late Saturday.

With the legislative session scheduled to end on Wednesday, the protracted debate forced the postponement of other priority work, including on legislation that addresses crime, a pending energy crunch along the Railbelt, and other education topics.

Republican members of the House, with one exception, are supporting the bill, while a coalition of Democrats, independents and one Republican have vowed to use every possible means to defeat it. 

The result on Saturday was a grinding, trench-warfare-like legislative process that saw supporters of the bill defeat or table opposition amendments, one by one, for hours.  

“We’re doing it on behalf of women and young ladies and girls who would like to participate in female sports,” said Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla.

Supporters of the bill do not believe that transgender women are women, and allowing transgender girls to participate on girls sports teams would mean that “there would be no female sports left to participate in, which would be a disappointment,” he said.

The bill’s opponents vehemently and at times emotionally argued that transgender women are women and deserve to be granted equal treatment under the law.

“Trans girls in sports (are) not a threat to any other girl,” said Rep. Donna Mears, D-Anchorage.

Opposition lawmakers had known for months that the bill was likely to advance to the House floor and prepared dozens of amendments in an attempt to kill the bill by drawing out debate 

On Saturday morning, with the House majority ready to table those amendments without discussion, opposition lawmakers grew angry and refused to vote, bringing proceedings to a halt.

“If you would like to set this precedent of just tabling minority amendments because you do not like them, you will reap what you sow for years to come,” said House Minority Leader Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage.

That statement brought raised voices from Republicans in the House who saw it as a personal threat against Speaker of the House Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, and told Schrage should “take it outside” with them.  

“You brought this upon us! You are the majority. You said this is your priority. Give us the right to defend the children in our districts who you are hurting because of this,” said Rep. Jennie Armstrong, D-Anchorage, shouting across the House chambers.

“Yeah, well, you’re discriminating against women!” said Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, shouting back.

“I’m a woman, Jamie!” Armstrong responded, even louder. 

A short break brought more interruptions and delay. 

“You’re making a mockery of this,” said Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake. 

“You’re making a mockery with this bill,” Armstrong said. 

“Oh, stop,” McCabe said. 

“It’s not a bill. It’s an attack on children in our state!” Armstrong responded.

Armstrong, who identifies as bisexual, and Democratic Rep. Andrew Gray, a gay man from Anchorage, have been among the most passionate opponents of the bill, as has Rep. Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage, who has a transgender daughter.

“One of my four daughters won’t come into this building. She’s very uncomfortable here. It breaks my heart,” Galvin said.

After Armstrong’s heated exchanges, Tilton and Schrage negotiated a compromise that allowed the opposition to present some amendments. 

The compromise agreement set a strict time limit for each legislator to speak on an amendment, but even with that restriction, each amendment took 15 minutes or more, and there were dozens.

The bill’s supporters, to save time, declined to speak on each proposal. This left the floor open to the bill’s opponents, who said the bill implicates the state’s constitutional right to privacy. It would require girls to prove that their gender at birth — as shown on a birth certificate and medical tests — matches their gender identity.

“When you’re asking women to give up their constitutional rights to play sports … it’s a shame this is where we think we should be on Day 117 of the Legislature,” said Rep. Sara Hannan, D-Juneau.

Opposition lawmakers repeatedly offered procedural exit ramps to members of the majority, saying they were willing to move on from the issue, if the majority was willing. 

But majority Republicans voted down requests to table and indefinitely postpone the bill, keeping the debate going. 

As debate extended into the night, lawmakers recognized an important fact: Even after amendments wrap up, a final vote on the bill itself won’t take place until the next legislative day, promising further delays. 

“There’s so much hate out there. Why would we move forward with a bill that will just enable more hatred and discrimination? It’s insane,” Schrage said. 

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