Authorities in North Dakota have vetoed a bill that aimed to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls' sports, risking a backlash from the right.
The move, which was finalized on Wednesday, echoes a similar motion made earlier this year by Governor Kristi Noem in neighboring South Dakota.
Her North Dakota counterpart Doug Burgum pulled the trigger on the proposal this time around, after it had originally passed overwhelmingly in the state's House.
In the state Senate, though, the margin was much slimmer - which led analysts to suggest that the measure is likely finished as both houses would have to pass a veto override to overturn Bergum's action.
Republican Bergum said that the bill "would unnecessarily inject the state into a local issue by creating a ban with myriad unforeseen consequences" in a veto message, with members of his own party such as the vilified Kathy Skroch a known supporter of it.
"We need to keep women on an even playing field," she had said previously in a debate on the matter, while noting differences between the sexes in height, weight, heart size and lung capacity.
"There is a reason why there is separation of boys and girls sports," she added.
But those in support of what Bergum has done were quick to sing his praises.
"It was obvious from the beginning that this discriminatory legislation was about creating solutions to problems that don’t exist and, in the process, harming some of the most vulnerable people in our state," said ACLU of North Dakota Campaigns Director Libby Skarin.
"This is such beautiful news for trans kids across the state," she concluded.
Though it is still early in the day for Burgum to receive backlash, it won't be too far away considering attacks that Governor Noem, also a Republican, was subjected to from the right over in South Dakota when carrying out a similar reversal.
Down in Arkansas, her counterpart Asa Hutchinson even ended up in a war of words with former President Donald Trump when scrapping a transgender bill earlier this month.
"Asa Hutchinson, the lightweight RINO Governor of Arkansas, just vetoed a Bill that banned the CHEMICAL CASTRATION OF CHILDREN," Trump said as part of a statement. "Bye-bye Asa, that's the end of him!"