West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill that bans transgender athletes from competing in female sports in middle and high schools and colleges, The Seattle Times noted.
Bills seeking to ban transgender girls from competing on girls' sports teams in public schools also have been enacted this year in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi, while South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has implemented the move by executive order.
West Virginia's bill had narrowly passed the state Senate, which had added the college component, before the House of Delegates overwhelmingly approved it.
Justice said earlier this week that he would "proudly" sign the bill despite warnings from some lawmakers that the NCAA could retaliate and decide not to hold college tournaments in the state.
In a statement sent to Windy City Times, Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David criticized the signing, saying, "By signing this cruel and discriminatory legislation, Gov. Jim Justice is not only hurting the health and safety of transgender children, but also West Virginians who will suffer the consequences of this lawincluding economic harm, expensive taxpayer-funded legal battles, and a tarnished reputation."