State Senate passes bill to protect fairness in women’s sports

By a 30-17 vote, the Pennsylvania State Senate passed S.B. 1293 that provides for sport activities in public institutions of higher education and public school entities to be expressly designated male, female or coed; and creating causes of action for harm suffered by designation.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Judy Ward (R-Blair/Fulton/Huntingdon/ Juniata/Mifflin), would require public schools and colleges to label sports teams as male, female or coed. The legislation states only biological females can join teams designated for women. The bill would also allow students to take legal action if they are harmed by violations of this rule.

The legislation defines “sex” as “a person’s immutable characteristics of the reproductive system that define the individual as male or female, as determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth.”

“Simply put, this is about biological sex,” said Ward. “Sports have always been separated by biological sex, not gender identity, and this bill maintains that long-standing standard.

“Title IX was created to expand opportunities for female athletes. By allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports puts those opportunities at risk. Scholarships, recognition and the chance to compete fairly can be life-changing for our young women,” she continued. “This bill is about preserving those opportunities.”

Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) said the bipartisan support that the bill received was an indication of how important the bill is.

“The bipartisan nature of this vote sends a clear message to the House of Representatives that Republicans and Democrats alike agree it’s time for Pennsylvania to put female athletes across our commonwealth first and leave performative politics on the sidelines by ensuring a fair, safe and level playing field for female athletes.

Four Democrats joined 26 Republicans with a yes vote – Sens. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh/Northampton), Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton), Marty Flynn (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne), and Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia).

Three senators did not cast a vote due to personal leave – Sens. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Berks/Montgomery), James Malone (D-Lancaster), and Patty Kim (D-Dauphin).

Sen. Lindsay Williams (D-Allegheny) called the bill “cruel.”

A three-sport athlete, she said participating in sports “gave me the confidence, time management skills and the ability to work collaboratively. That led me to eventually run for office.

“Absolutely nothing about having a trans teammate or competitor would have taken those things away from me. This bill aims to bully children who are already facing ridicule, isolation, and fear every single day for just being who they are.”

Williams also criticized the body for not focusing on the real issues of the day.

“Right now, families in Pennsylvania are choosing between affording groceries and filling their gas tanks to get to work. And we’re spending our time voting for the eighth time in a bill to bully children who just want to play soccer with their friends.”

Republican Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) said as an athlete, she did not expect things to be handed to her, but expected the competition to be fair.

“That the outcome would be decided by performance, not by shifting policies, or changing definitions. That is what made it meaningful. That is what young women all across Pennsylvania deserve today.”

Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) said that there is not an “epidemic of trans children taking the opportunities of anyone. But we do have a crisis.”

“According to the Trevor Project, states that passed anti-transgender laws aimed at minors saw suicide attempts by transgender and gender non-conforming teenagers increase by as much as 702% in the following years. They believe that society is telling them not to exist.”

“Every young person in Pennsylvania deserves the chance to grow, play, and be included on teams and in their community. Trans girls are no exception,” said ACLU-PA Senior Organizer Naiymah Sanchez. “Their inclusion strengthens our athletic programs and benefits every girl who steps onto a field or into a gym. The conversation we should be having is about improving the health and well-being of our youth, and providing more funding for girls’ sports to ensure all student athletes have what they need to thrive.”

The legislation is similar to Senate Bill 9, which was passed by the Senate in May 2025 with bipartisan support. Since then, S.B. 9 has been delayed by the House of Representatives in four different committees.

Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Armstrong/Indiana/Jefferson/ Westmoreland) called upon House Democrats to move the bill forward, citing the recent decision by the International Olympic Committee.

“If it’s good enough for the International community to protect our female athletes and to support equality in competition, it should be good enough for this Commonwealth to do the same,” said Pittman.

“I would suggest that if the House would bring the bill to the floor and they have amendments, we’re happy to have productive conversations if there are elements of the bill that need to be addressed.”

Steve Ulrich is the managing editor of PoliticsPA, where this article originally appeared.