A panel from the Nevada Commission on Ethics took issue with Republican Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony using state resources for a task force aimed at keeping transgender athletes out of women’s sports, and is recommending he take corrective actions to avoid any further proceedings from the commission. 

Anthony announced in January the creation of the Lieutenant Governor’s Task Force to Protect Women’s Sports. During an interview with The Nevada Independent shortly after, Anthony said the task force was meant to ensure fair competition and equal opportunity in women’s sports, and prevent “awards and titles taken away from them” by transgender female athletes. 

The Nevadans for Equal Rights Committee filed an ethics complaint on Feb. 27 against Anthony after he stated during a Feb. 5 legislative committee meeting that his staff has helped with work related to the task force. He didn’t specify how much staff time has been dedicated to the task force’s work. 

Anthony has also promoted the task force’s work on his official X account on numerous occasions and as recently as April 6, after the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association reversed a 2014 policy that allowed transgender students in high schools to play for teams that align with their gender identity.

Earlier this week, a review panel consisting of Ethics Commission Chair Scott Scherer, Commissioner Teresa Lowry and Commissioner John Miller unanimously found that there was enough credible evidence to bring a case to the commission to determine if Anthony violated three sections of a state statute on ethics that prohibits public officials from using their positions, their subordinates or government time, property, equipment or facility to advance their personal interests.

But instead of referring the allegations to the commission for further proceedings, the panel proposed a deferral agreement that would allow the complaint to be dismissed if Anthony completes corrective actions to address the issues the panel found. Those included getting into compliance with the ethics law, training for his entire staff and adopting a social media policy for his office that prohibits the use of government accounts to promote political campaigns. 

Anthony did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment on whether he agreed with the proposed agreement or whether this has any impact on the task force’s work.

“This was a very clear case of corruption and I am pleased the commission on ethics agreed,” said Lindsey Harmon with the Nevadans for Equal Rights Committee in a Thursday statement. “I am not sure, however, the deferral plan will do anything to mitigate these issues in the future.”

The creation of the task force was met with swift backlash from groups such as Silver State Equality, a statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights advocacy organization, and the American Civil Liberties Union. They said the task force violates the Equal Rights Amendment added to Nevada’s Constitution by a statewide vote in 2022, which guarantees equal rights regardless “of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, ancestry, or national origin.” 

Anthony argued in a post on his official X account that the amendment “does not withstand legal scrutiny.” 

There’s little evidence in Nevada of transgender athletes hurting female students physically during competition or hindering their opportunities. A Nevada System of Higher Education official said this spring she is not aware of any transgender athletes playing collegiate sports within the system’s schools. 

The inaugural members of the task force members included Sen. Carrie Buck (R-Henderson), Assm. Bert Gurr (R-Elko), Washoe County Commissioner Clara Andriola, Sparks City Councilwoman Charlene Bybee and Nevada Wolf Pack women’s volleyball team captain Sia Li’ili’i. Marshi Smith, a former collegiate swimmer and co-founder of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), was the group’s chair. 

Anthony previously told The Nevada Independent that he believed the task force related to his work as president of the state Senate. Though it's a generally ceremonial role that involves presiding over state Senate proceedings, such as reading through agenda items and deciding which lawmaker should speak first, Anthony said it was his responsibility to promote and push along legislation he believed was important.