Merrill Piepkorn on Civil Rights

	Merrill Piepkorn on Civil Rights

Would have vetoed anti-transgender legislation

Piepkorn also said that Burgum should have vetoed several bills targeting LGBTQ North Dakotans during the 2023 legislative session. Burgum signed a handful of bills related to transgender people, including measures that criminalize gender-affirming care for minors, prevent transgender people from using bathrooms that align with their gender identities in schools and some state-owned living facilities, and that forbid transgender girls and women from playing in female K-12 and college sports. Source: KFGO 790AM on 2024 North Dakota Gubernatorial race , May 22, 2024

Gender neutral terms in state laws, for same-sex marriages

North Dakota's Republican-led Senate rejected a measure that would have changed state law to reflect the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that same-sex couples have the right to marry. The bill failed 15-31. North Dakota law lists "one man, one woman" or "husband and wife" for everything from marriages and divorces to fishing licenses [The proposed legislation changes those terms to gender-neutral "person" and "spouse"].

The Supreme Court in 2015 declared that same-sex couples have the right to marry nationwide, and a federal judge ruled shortly afterward that North Dakota's ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional.

GOP Sen. Kelly Armstrong said rejecting the measure is only symbolic since same-sex marriage is now legal nationwide. "I think it's a pretty drastic over-estimation that we would end up in litigation if we don't pass this bill," Armstrong said.

Legislative Outcome: Bill Failed Senate, 15-31-1, Jan. 10, 2017; Sen. Merrill Piepkorn voted YEA.

Source: Billings Gazette on North Dakota voting record: SB 2043 , Jan 10, 2017

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*Other governors on Civil Rights:*			*Merrill Piepkorn on other issues:*
*ND Gubernatorial:* Doug Burgum Kelly Armstrong Rick Becker *ND Senatorial:* John Hoeven Katrina Christiansen Kevin Cramer Michael J. Steele Rick Becker	*Gubernatorial Debates 2023:* KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D) vs.State A.G. Daniel Cameron(R) vs.Ambassador Kelly Craft(R) vs.State Auditor Mike Harmon(R) LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited) vs.Jeff Landry(R) vs.Shawn Wilson(D) vs.John Schroder(R) vs.Sharon Hewitt(R) MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R) vs.Bill Waller(R,withdrew) vs.Brandon Presley(D) *Gubernatorial Debates 2024:* DE: Gov. John Carney (D, term-limited); vs. Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long (D) vs. County Exec. Matt Meyer (D) vs. State Rep.Mike Ramone (R) IN: Gov. Eric Holcomb (R, term-limited); vs. Sen. Mike Braun (R) vs. Suzanne Crouch (R, lost May 7 primary) vs. Eric Doden (R, lost May 7 primary) vs. Attorney General Curtis Hill (R, lost May 7 primary) vs. Jennifer McCormick (D) MO: Gov. Mike Parson (R, term-limited): vs. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (R) vs. State Senator Bill Eigel (R) vs. Lt.Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) vs. House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (D) MT: Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) vs. Ryan Busse (D) vs. State Rep. Tanner Smith (R, lost June 4 primary)	*Gubernatorial Debates 2024 (continued):* NC: Gov. Roy Cooper (D, term-limited); vs. Lt.Gov. Mark Robinson (R) vs. Attorney General Josh Stein (D) vs. Treasurer Dale Folwell (R, lost March 5 primary) vs. Justice Michael Morgan (D, lost March 5 primary) vs. State Senator Andy Wells (R,withdrew) vs. Rep.Mark Walker (R, withdrew) ND: Gov. Doug Burgum (R, retiring) vs. State Rep. Rick Becker (R) vs. U.S.Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R) vs. State Sen.Merrill Piepkorn (D) NH: Gov. Chris Sununu (R, retiring) vs. U.S.Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) vs. Mayor Joyce Craig (D) vs. Acting Gov.Chuck Morse (R) vs. Exec.Councilor Cinde Warmington (D) UT: Gov. Spencer Cox (R) vs. State Rep. Phil Lyman (R) vs. Minority Leader Brian King (D) VT: Gov. Phil Scott (R) vs. Lt.Gov.David Zuckerman (D, withdrew) vs. Selectman Peter Duval (D) vs. Commissioner Esther Charlestin (D) WA: Gov. Jay Inslee (D, retiring); vs. Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) vs. U.S.Rep.Dave Reichert (R) vs. State Sen. Mark Mullet (D) vs. County Chair Semi Bird (R) vs. Hilary Franz (D, withdrew to run for U.S.Rep.) WV: Gov. Jim Justice (R, term-limited) vs. WV Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R) vs. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams (D) vs. WV State Auditor JB McCuskey (R, withdrew) vs. WV Secretary of State Mac Warner (R, lost May 14 primary) vs. State Del. Moore Capito (R, lost May 14 primary)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]