A State Senate Committee votes without objection to advance legislation banning transgender athletes from playing in girls' K-12 and women’s college athletics.
Last year lawmakers came just shy of overriding Governor John Bel Edwards' veto of a similar bill, and Senator Beth Mizell reintroduced the legislation arguing the economic case against the effort has been eroded in the last 12 months.
“We learned that the NCAA has hosted, or has scheduled to host multiple events in ten states with rules such as in my bill,” said Mizell.
Opponents argued it's a solution in search of a problem, and LHSAA policy already functionally bans trans athletes from high school play. SaraJane Guidry with Forum for Equality says this deprives trans students of the right to play school sports.
“When we tell transgender girls that they can’t play girls' sports they miss out on all of these very important childhood experiences that are being denied to them,” said Guidry.
The bill advances to the Senate floor.
