Maine’s secretary of state removes a ballot initiative aimed at limiting transgender students’ participation in sports after determining that the petition contains invalid signatures. Reporting across outlets says the secretary of state’s decision halts the measure from advancing to the ballot for consideration by voters. The initiative’s stated purpose is to restrict transgender athletes’ eligibility in school sports. Under Maine’s ballot-access rules, initiatives must meet signature requirements and other procedural standards to qualify. The secretary of state concludes the measure fails to satisfy the signature threshold because the submitted signatures are not valid, resulting in the initiative being taken off the ballot process. The coverage does not indicate that the measure has been fully withdrawn or rejected on substantive grounds; rather, it is stopped due to administrative requirements related to signature validity. The decision means voters will not directly vote on the proposed policy through the ballot in the current cycle.