Montana Republican leaders will vote Wednesday on censuring or expelling lawmaker Zooey Zephyr, a transgender state representative who has been silenced in the House since last week after telling colleagues that if they voted for a bill to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender children they would “have blood on their hands.”
Here’s the recap:
On Monday, law enforcement arrested seven people who were accused of interrupting Montana’s legislative proceedings, protesting the silencing of the transgender rep who has not been allowed to speak since Thursday.
Montana’s House speaker canceled Tuesday’s floor session without explanation, the latest development in a standoff over whether Montana Republicans will let the lawmaker from Missoula speak unless she apologizes for her remarks last week on a gender-affirming care ban proposal.
Protesters were charged with criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor. The county’s detention center “will book and release [them] without requiring bond,” according to the county sheriff.