Salt Lake County District Attorney: Open Letter HB11

Salt Lake City UT

23 April, 2022

4:06 PM

Description

Press release from Salt Lake County District Attorney: April 22, 2022 This afternoon you will convene as a legislative body to consider whether to override Governor Cox's veto of HB11, Student Eligibility in Interscholastic Activities. As the Salt Lake County District Attorney, I urge you to support the Governor's veto and oppose attempts to override it. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention recognizes that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have a massive impact on future criminal offenses and victimization. Individual and family risk factors include youth with few or no friends and families isolated from their communities. Community risk factors include communities where neighbors don't know or look out for each other and communities with few activities for young people. Research shows that sports participation is a predictor of positive educational and occupational outcomes and lower levels of social isolation. In short, providing more opportunities for extracurricular activities decreases criminal behavior and victimization. However, isolating children from these activities increases their risk now and later in life. While HB11, if it becomes law, will exclude only one transgender girl currently playing high school sports in Utah, the isolating effect of the bill is much broader. Transgender children across Utah are looking to the legislature to answer a more fundamental question: Do I belong here? The inevitable lawsuits and likely reversal of HB11 in the courts won't undo the harm that the legislature will cause today if it overrides Governor Cox's veto. Not to mention wasted tax dollars, loss of economic opportunity, and an invasion on the personal choices of the family all resulting in bad public policy. Please do not join in sending that harmful message to our children. Issues of gender and fair play in sports are complicated and merit further discussion. Passing HB11 despite Governor Cox's veto will not further that conversation, but it will isolate children across Utah and impose long-term harms on Utah's public safety. Please oppose the bill. This press release was produced by Salt Lake County District Attorney. The views expressed here are the author's own.