SPOKANE, WASH – The Spokane City Council could vote this week to take a public stand on two Washington ballot initiatives, one regarding parental rights and one that manages transgender athletes in sports.
The council will consider a resolution this week opposing both initiatives which are on the November ballot.
Council members Zack Zappone and Kate Telis are sponsoring Resolution 2026-0075, found on page 99 on this week’s agenda.
The initiative summary says the council should oppose both initiatives because they “would subject transgender students to unfair and potentially harmful measures ostensibly designed to “protect” girls and parents.”
The resolution urges voters to reject both.
Initiative 001 re-enacts parents’ rights to receive information about medical services given to their child and information about criminal actions committed against their child, among other things. Supporters say it strengthens communication between parents and schools.
Opponents, however, say it diminishes protection for LGBTQ students and also that some of the items in the initiative are in conflict with state and federal laws.
Initiative 638 pertains to transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports.
The initiative bars biological males from competing in girls’ sports, requiring a physician to sign off on a child’s gender for competition.
Right now, Washington law allows athletes to compete with whichever gender they identify, which the state says also complies with federal law.
Both initiatives are backed by the group Let’s Go Washington.
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