HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — On Tuesday, Pennsylvania’s State Senate passed legislation aimed at prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in female sports at both the college and K-12 educational levels. However, this GOP-backed bill faces dim prospects as the Democrat-led House of Representatives is not expected to bring it up for a vote.
The legislation was approved with a tally of 32-18, as five Democrats joined forces with all 27 Republicans in supporting the “yes” vote. This marks the second occasion that the GOP-led Senate has successfully passed this bill. A previous effort, which coincided with a Republican-majority House, ultimately faced Governor Tom Wolf’s veto.
in 2022
.
This time, Republican senators are pushing forward with the initiative following President Donald Trump’s statement expressing his intention to “exclude males from women’s sporting events,” which he has prioritized.
campaign issue
In last year’s election, Democrats were divided on how to respond.
This legislation covers involvement in athletic activities for females at public schools, state-funded universities, and community colleges with government-issued charters.
This provision bans any type of governmental body or sports organization from probing into or imposing penalties on a school or college for having distinct athletic teams exclusively for female students.
For more than an hour, Republicans and Democrats engaged in intense discussions about the bill, sometimes heatedly. Senator Judy Ward, a Republican representing Blair and the bill’s sponsor, stated that it would “provide every young woman with a fair opportunity to participate in the sports they enjoy.” However, Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, a Democrat from Allegheny, criticized the legislation for being discriminatory towards transgender individuals and labeled it as “unwarranted, unnecessary, and unconstitutional” according to his perspective.
Democrats cautioned that the legislation would fail to advance, with a representative for House Democratic leadership accusing Senate Republicans of prioritizing “polarizing political spectacles and intimidating young people for partisan gain.” Although Governor Josh Shapiro’s team was contacted but didn’t comment on this particular bill, it should be noted that he previously voiced his disapproval of similar restrictions.
Trump, as president,
signed
An executive order aimed at prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
The organization overseeing high school athletics in Pennsylvania, known as the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, is thus
changed its policy
In a step some officials claim aligns with Trump’s directive, attorneys from all perspectives argue that the shift in policy language achieves absolutely nothing of the kind.
PIAA stated they were informed about one transgender student engaging in sports activities; however, they chose not to comment further on this matter as it involves ongoing legal proceedings.
In reaction to Trump’s directive, the NCAA updated its policies.
transgender participation policy
to limit women’s college sports to athletes assigned as female at birth. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, a governing body for smaller schools, effectively
banned transgender athletes in 2023
from women’s sports.
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Pa. Senate Votes to Ban Transgender Athletes in Girls’ Sports, but Bill Faces Uphill Battle
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