Rokita Appeals Court’s Pause On Trans Athlete Law
Rokita Appeals Court’s Pause On Trans Athlete Law
INDIANAPOLIS—Attorney General Todd Rokita has filed an appeal of a district court’s preliminary injunction against enforcing a new state law in the case of a 10-year-old trans female wanting to play on a girls’ softball team in the Indianapolis Public Schools district.
The unidentified student’s mother challenged the law earlier this summer under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause with the help of the ACLU of Indiana.
“Forcing female student-athletes to compete against males in women’s sports is an absolute assault on girls’ equality of opportunity and even their physical safety,†Rokita said. “Males possess certain physiological advantages that make them faster and stronger, and it’s unconscionable to ignore these scientific realities. The Left must stop sacrificing women’s well-being on the altar of transgender woke-ism.â€
Gov. Eric Holcomb originally vetoed the bill that would only allow participation in school sports based on biological sex. However, during the special session this summer, the Indiana House of Representatives voted 67-28 and the Indiana Senate voted 32-15 to override his veto
“The presumption of the policy laid out in HEA 1041 is that there is an existing problem in K-12 sports in Indiana that requires further state government intervention,†Holcomb wrote in his explanation of the veto. “It implies that the goals of consistency and fairness in competitive female sports are not currently being met. After thorough review, I find no evidence to support either claim even if I support the overall goal.”
According to a July 26 press release about the ACLU lawsuit, Ken Falk, legal director at the ACLU of Indiana, said, “When misinformation about biology and gender is used to bar transgender girls from school sports, it amounts to the same form of sex discrimination that has long been prohibited under Title IX, a law that protects all students—including trans people—on the basis of sex.â€
Indiana isn’t the only state facing lawsuits from similar laws. According to CBS News, “eight states—Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Montana, South Dakota, West Virginia, Florida, and Tennessee—have passed their version of the bills into law, preventing transgender girls from competing on the sports teams of their choice, with South Dakota’s ban coming from the executive order.
FOOTNOTE: Tabby Fitzgerald is a reporter at TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Rokita Fighting For Protecting Girls’ Sports
Attorney General Todd Rokita this week continued his vigorous defense of a new law requiring participants in girls’ sports to be, in fact, biological girls.
On Sept. 6, Attorney General Rokita filed an appeal of a district court’s preliminary injunction against enforcing the law in the case of a 10-year-old biological male wanting to play on a girls’ softball team in the Indianapolis Public Schools district.
With the help of the leftist American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the student’s mother challenged the law earlier this summer under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause.
“Forcing female student-athletes to compete against males in women’s sports is an absolute assault on girls’ equality of opportunity and even their physical safety,†Attorney General Rokita said. “Males possess certain physiological advantages that make them faster and stronger, and it’s unconscionable to ignore these scientific realities. The Left must stop sacrificing women’s well-being on the altar of transgender woke-ism.â€
By its terms, Title IX does not protect “gender identity,†Attorney General Rokita notes in his appellant’s brief. It instead prohibits both discrimination and denial of equal opportunities “on the basis of sex,†a biological characteristic determined by reproductive function.
“Self-identifying as a girl . . . does not negate the advantages that come from being born male,†the brief states. “That means transgender athletes born male will outperform athletes born female who have equivalent levels of dedication, training, and skill, displacing those female athletes from rosters and podiums. It would turn Title IX on its head to construe the statute to privilege gender identity, an unprotected characteristic, at the expense of sex, the protected characteristic.â€
FOOTNOTE: Â The City-County Observer posted this article without bias or editing.
Indiana To Continue Extending Postpartum Medicaid Coverage For One Year
Additional Coverage Helps Reduce Maternal Mortality In Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration today received approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to continue its practice of extending postpartum coverage for Hoosiers receiving Medicaid during pregnancy from 60 days to one year. Indiana has been providing this extended coverage since April; today’s federal announcement will allow it to continue.
“We are delighted that Hoosiers, regardless of their income, will now have access to quality healthcare for a full year following the birth of a child,†said Dan Rusyniak, M.D., FSSA secretary. “This is significant as more than 40 percent of individuals who give birth each year receive Medicaid. And, since more than half of postpartum complications occur after six weeks, extending coverage to a full year will help meet Gov. Holcomb’s goal of reducing Indiana’s maternal mortality rate.â€
Previously, postpartum Medicaid coverage ended after 60 days. In May, Indiana’s Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning asked CMS for approval to extend the postpartum coverage period for traditional Medicaid, Healthy Indiana Plan Maternity and Hoosier Healthwise members. This will apply to all who received maternity care from Medicaid since April 1.
The postpartum coverage period is available to any individual who meets one of the following criteria:
- Becomes pregnant while already enrolled in traditional Medicaid, HIP or Hoosier Healthwise
- Applies and is eligible for Medicaid while pregnant
- Applies for Medicaid after the child is born and was both pregnant and eligible in the month of application or one of the three months prior to the application month.
Today’s CMS approval authorizes the extended coverage for Medicaid-eligible individuals for a five-year period, through March 31, 2027.
This policy was included in HEA 1140-2022, the bill passed by the Indiana General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Eric J. Holcomb on March 14, 2022.
Tickets for #CureFA Game On Sale September 12​​​​​​​ BETWEEN USI AND KENT STATE
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Tickets for the West Side Nut Club #CureFA exhibition baseball game scheduled for October 22  at Bosse Field between the University of Southern Indiana and Kent State University go on sale September 12 at USI Athletics and all Banterra Bank Evansville/Newburgh locations. Fans also can purchase tickets online at curefa.org/USIBaseball. The ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
The 2 p.m. exhibition game will benefit the fight against Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), a degenerative neuro-muscular disorder that affects one in 50,000 people in the United States. Most individuals have onset of symptoms of FA between the ages of 5 and 18 years but can occur anytime during adulthood. The Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance is supporting research that will improve the quality and length of life for those diagnosed with FA and will lead to treatments that eliminate its symptoms. More information about FA can be found at CureFA.org.
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The game will preview the 2023 USI Screaming Eagles, who will be concluding their fall workouts after a 21-28 mark in 2022. USI is in the process of transitioning to the NCAA Division I after dominating Division II for the last 16 years with two national championships and five NCAA II Midwest Regional titles under the direction of Head Coach Tracy Archuleta. Archuleta is in his 17th season at the helm and has a 527-313 (.635) and directed the Eagles to both of their national championships.Â
Kent State, which is under the direction of new Head Coach Jeff Duncan, was 24-29 before ending the season in the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
WARRICK HUMANE SOCIETY PRESENTS “LOW COST VACCINE CLINICâ€
Warrick Humane Society is excited to announce that we received a grant from Walmart Giving to host a Low-Cost Vaccination Clinic open to the public on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, from 11 am to 2 pm (or later if pets are still being seen). Registration begins at 10 am and ends at 1 pm. Registration is limited to the first 50 dogs or cats, and registration for the clinic is first come, first serve.
Please expect a potentially long wait and plan your day accordingly. We can only see domesticated dogs and cats. No feral animals. For the safety of your pet, all dogs MUST be on a leash and cats MUST be in a carrier.
Pricing For Services:
Rabies – $17
DA2PP – $17
Bordetella – $15
Heartworm Test – $22
FVRCP – $17
FeLV/FIV test – $25
Microchip – $20
Flea Treatment – $10-$20
Dewormer – $5-$15
THUNDERBOLTS ANNOUNCE SIGNING OF DEFENSEMAN DILLON HILL
Evansville, IN: The Evansville Thunderbolts, of the SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League), announced today the signing of defenseman Dillon Hill for the 2022-2023 season. Hill marks the third player announcement of the new season by Head Coach Jeff Bes.
The 6’ 3†native of Niagara Falls, Ontario played three games for the Thunderbolts last season. He also saw time with Roanoke in the SPHL and ten games with the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL. Â
Head Coach Jeff Bes says of Hill, “Dillon is big, strong and versatile player who brings experience to our team. He knows what it takes to play every day and he will bring that to the team.â€
Hill adds, “I am extremely happy to be back in Evansville and excited for the season to get underway. Opening night can’t come soon enough.â€
Season ticket and group packages are now on sale for the upcoming season. Call 812-422-BOLT or visit our all-new website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.com) for details.