Gov.
He also questioned whether it was solving any pressing issue, writing in a letter to lawmakers that “the presumption of the policy laid out in H.E.A.
Sports participation by transgender girls and women has become an increasingly divisive topic among political leaders and sports sanctioning groups, which have struggled with the issue in a way that respects transgender athletes and addresses concerns some critics have raised about competitive fairness.
Since 2019, state lawmakers across the country have introduced dozens of bills that would prohibit transgender youths from participating in school sports on teams consistent with their identities, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an L.G.B.T.
In October, Texas became the most populous state to bar transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports at public schools.
Ms. Oakley warned that “transgender students in Indiana are not out of the woods yet.” With a majority vote in both the House and Senate, lawmakers could override Mr. Holcomb, a second-term governor who is barred by term limits from running again in 2024.
That law was presented as a way to protect religious business owners from having to provide cakes and flowers to same-sex weddings, but it unleashed fierce opposition, including from some of Indiana’s most prominent businesses.
During his time as governor, Mr. Holcomb has embraced many conservative policies, including a measure he signed Monday allowing people in Indiana to carry handguns without a permit.
Spencer Cox, also a Republican, is expected to veto a bill that would have barred young transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports.