South Dakota governor sends back bill banning transgender women from female sports to legislature

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has returned an executive bill -- banning transgender girls and women from participating in female sports -- back to the state legislature.

Noem, after a thorough review of this bill for about nine days, on Friday took issue with "style and form" within the bill, saying she will sign it if lawmakers agree to the changes. "I support this legislation and hope that House Bill 1217, with the changes I am proposing, becomes law," she said in a statement as reported by Fox News.

According to Fox News, the Republican lawmakers have refuted the bill which bans transgender women from participating in female sports. "The Republican says it is a robust response to President Joe Biden's executive order aimed at preventing discrimination on the basis of gender identity, allowing students to compete against those of the sex they identify as."

Biden took 17 executive actions right after he took office, the actions included reversing former president Donald Trump's policies to restoring Barack Obama-era programs, the coronavirus pandemic, and more. The bills were focused on environmental regulations, the climate crisis, immigration policies, racial justice, healthcare, and more.

The South Dakota Governor rejected the call for a ban at the collegiate level, stressing to lawmakers it could mean South Dakota athletes could lose out in the national tournaments, as The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has inclusion policies for transgender student-athletes.

"Similar bills have popped up across the country in recent years, with 42 bills introduced in 26 states in 2021 alone," an LGBTQ advocacy group, Freedom for All Americans, confirmed.

( With inputs from ANI )