Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, on Friday signed a bill into law that removes funding from any school district that violates the state's transgender sports ban on middle and high school students.

The bill is expected to take effect on July 1.

Last year, Tennessee approved a law that prohibits transgender students from competing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

Republican lawmakers are also considering bills that would extend the ban to colleges and allow teachers and school districts to use the pronouns that a transgender student does not prefer. According to the AP, lawmakers are expected to approve both measures.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBTQ rights advocate, criticized Lee for his support of this bill and other anti-transgender measures.

“Transgender people, and especially transgender youth, are under attack like never before, and Governor Lee is among those leading the charge,” HRC State Legislative Director Cathryn Oakley said in a statement. “Over the past three years, the Tennessee legislature has considered more than sixty anti-LGBTQ pieces of legislation, passing seven into law – including the first two 'bathroom bills' passed since North Carolina’s infamous HB2.”

“Undeterred by the lawsuits Tennessee is facing, undeterred by the possibility of federal administrative enforcement action, undeterred by the harm that this legislation does to Tennessee children, Bill Lee continues to support and sign bill after discriminatory bill - making Tennessee among the most anti-LGBTQ states in the country,” Oakley said.