thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> The spring election is April 1st. In the debate, you heard
the topic of rape kits. Next week on this program "Here&
Now". Zac Schultz reports on the background of that controversy.
And hears from both Brad Schimel and Susan Crawford on the issue
tonight. More from the candidates in this election that
will determine the balance of the court with this excerpt from
Zack's reporting. >> One of the other cultural
flashpoints that we're going through as a country right now
has to do with trans rights in your estimation, do trans people
have any specific protections under the law? Are they a
protected class? Do they get any other category of protection
when it comes to them being singled out as a group?
>> You know, that is a question where if a case came in front of
me, that was making an argument about the rights of transgender
people or making a claim that they'd been discriminated
against or something like that, I would have to look at the law
and see what protections were available, and hear out what the
attorney's arguments were both for and against those kinds of
protections. Obviously, look at the facts to see what was
happening in that case. And then make a decision based on what I
thought, the facts and the law required.
nothing specific in state or federal law that gives them any
protected status. want to answer that specific,
specific question because I haven't researched it and I
can't make a blanket statement that there are no such
protections without actually looking at the law to make that
determination. >> Under the law, they're not in
a particular protected class. No, but in a courtroom, in the
justice system, you don't have to be in a protected class to
enjoy, to enjoy our constitutional rights. You know,
I, I do name changes. Every Monday morning is when we hold
name change hearings. And I have it's routine that I have
individuals who have transitioned or are
transitioning, want to change their names. I respect them for
that decision, and I make those name changes as a matter of
routine. I've even had some cases where they've gone or
gender change operation and want to change their birth
certificate. The law provides that they can do that. That's
what the law provides. My personal opinions have nothing
to do with that. If they meet the standards under the law,
they deserve the respect of the court and they deserve to have
their rights granted to them. [MUSIC]
>> Hey. >> Tensions roiled at the state
Capitol during nine hours of testimony over a bill that would
ban gender affirming treatments like hormones or surgery for