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Kentucky to join lawsuit against school transgender bathroom guidelines

Governor, attorney general continue public war of words

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 27, 2016) — Gov. Matt Bevin announced today that the Commonwealth of Kentucky will be joining the lawsuit against the federal government over new guidelines on how schools should accommodate transgender students.

Gov. Matt Bevin, left, and Attorney General Andy Beshear
Gov. Matt Bevin, left, and Attorney General Andy Beshear

“The federal government has no authority to dictate local school districts’ bathroom and locker room policies,” said Bevin. “The Obama Administration’s transgender policy ‘guidelines’ are an absurd federal overreach into a local issue.”

“Unfortunately, Attorney General Andy Beshear is unwilling to protect Kentucky’s control over local issues,” Bevin said. “Therefore, my administration will do so by joining this lawsuit. We are committed to protecting  the Tenth Amendment and fighting federal overreach into state and local issues.”

Beshear responded by saying Bevin refuses to include him in discussions.

 “The governor’s statement is not truthful,” Beashear said. “The Office of the Attorney General has been closely reviewing this matter. On the day the federal government issued its guidance, the governor stated he was researching legal options. I expected to be consulted on those options, but my office has not received a single phone call from the governor or his attorneys on this matter. The Office of Attorney General works to protect families every day from abuse, crime, scams and other threats. Any statement that it does not stand up for Kentucky families is entirely false. Sadly, this is another example of the governor’s office playing politics instead of trying to work with us.”