Senator Beth Mizell’s controversial SB 156, the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act”, passed both chambers.
The final passage in the House on May 27 was 78 yeas, 19 nays, and 8 absent. The Senate vote was 29 yeas, 6 nays, and 4 absent. It has been sent to the Governor.
During the process numerous co-authors signed onto the measure.
The measure requires an athletic team or sporting event sponsored by an elementary, secondary, or postsecondary educational institution to be designated, based upon the biological sex of team members, as only one of the following:
(1) A males’, boys’, or men’s team or event only for students who are biological males.
(2) A females’, girls’, or women’s team or event only for students who are biological females.
(3) A coeducational or mixed team or event for students who are biological males or biological females.
SB 156 prohibits a team designated for females, girls, or women from being open to students who are not biologically female.
It provides that, nothing in proposed law will be construed to restrict the eligibility of any student to participate in any intercollegiate, interscholastic, or intramural athletic teams or sports designated as “males”, “men”, or “boys” or designated as “coed” or “mixed”.
Nothing in proposed law is intended to prevent any school from implementing or maintaining a coed athletic team or sporting event which is open to both biological males and biological females so long as a female athletic team or sporting event is not disbanded for the purpose of creating a coed team or event which would thereby result to the detriment of biological female students.