SF0051 • 2022

Fairness in women's sports act.

AN ACT relating to school sports; prohibiting biological males from athletic teams and sports designated for females in public schools; establishing related causes of action as specified; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.

Education

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Senator Schuler
Last action: 2022-03-08
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2022

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and was not signed into law. Therefore, no implementation details are applicable.

Fairness in Women's Sports Act

This act prohibits biological males from participating on athletic teams and sports designated for females in public schools and establishes legal actions against violations.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits biological males from joining female-only school sports teams or events.
Requires that all school sports be clearly labeled as male, female, or coed based on the sex at birth of team members.
Allows students harmed by a violation to sue for damages and other legal remedies.

Who It Names or Affects

Public primary and secondary school students
School districts

Terms To Know

Biological sex at birth: The physical characteristics a person is born with that determine their sex.
Cause of action: A legal right to sue someone for damages or other remedies.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify how schools should handle transgender students who identify as female but were assigned male at birth.
The bill did not pass and was not signed into law.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0051S2001

2nd reading • Senator Hutchings

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment removes a previous change made by the Senate standing committee to SF0051, which is about fair women's sports in public schools.

Removes an earlier amendment from the Senate standing committee.

The exact content of the removed amendment is not provided, so we cannot explain what it specifically did or how this affects the bill.

SF0051S2002

2nd reading • Senator Schuler

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes previous changes to the bill and adds new protections for schools that keep separate sports teams for female students.

Removes a previously added section about causes of action related to violations of the act.
Adds a new clause (d) on page 3, which protects schools from negative consequences if they maintain separate athletic teams or sports for female students.
Includes a new cause of action allowing harmed students to sue school districts, athletic associations, or organizations that violate this chapter.

The exact nature and impact of the removed causes of action are not detailed in the amendment text.

SF0051SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Education Committee

Divided

Plain English: The amendment modifies the bill by removing certain sections related to school sports policies and adding new provisions for an appeals board to handle disputes over female athletic team eligibility.

Removes specific lines and phrases from the original bill text that relate to rules and regulations of schools regarding gender in sports.
Adds a new section detailing the creation of an appeals board tasked with hearing cases where students are denied participation on female-designated teams or sports due to their biological sex.

The amendment's technical changes may be hard for non-experts to fully understand without additional context.
It is unclear how the removal of certain lines and phrases will affect the overall implementation of the bill's policies.

SF0051SS001.01

Standing Committee • Senate Education Committee

Corrected, Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes specific sections from the bill text related to school sports rules for female athletes.

Removes lines that mention 'institutions;' and references to a particular section of law.
Deletes entire paragraphs on pages 3, 4, and parts of page 5.
Changes 'board of education' to 'superintendent of public instruction'.

The amendment text does not provide enough detail about the content being removed or its impact.

SF0051SS001.02

Standing Committee • Senate Education Committee

Corrected, Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds provisions for an appeals board that can hear cases where students are denied or should be denied participation on female-designated sports teams in public schools.

Adds a new subsection (d) to establish an appeals board to review decisions about student eligibility for female-designated sports teams.
Specifies the composition of the appeals board, including requirements for members' qualifications and terms of service.
Details who can appeal adverse decisions under this chapter to the appeals board.

The amendment does not specify how the appeals process will be funded or implemented beyond member compensation details.

Bill History

2022-03-08 House
H Did not Consider for Introduction
2022-03-07 House
H Pursuant to HR 4-5 (a)(b) Failed by Roll Call 21-37-2-0-0
2022-03-02 House
H Received for Introduction
2022-03-02 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 24-5-1-0-0
2022-03-01 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2022-02-28 Senate
S COW:Passed
2022-02-23 Senate
S Placed on General File
2022-02-23 Senate
S04 - Education:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 3-2-0-0-0
2022-02-18 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S04 - Education 25-4-1-0-0
2022-02-07 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2022-02-02 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

22LSO-0086
2022
STATE OF WYOMING
22LSO-0086
ENGROSSED
3.0

SENATE FILE NO. SF0051

Fairness in women's sports act.

Sponsored by: Senator(s) Schuler, French, Hutchings, Salazar and Steinmetz and Representative(s) Gray, Haroldson and Jennings

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to school sports; prohibiting biological males from athletic teams and sports designated for females in public schools; establishing related causes of action as specified; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 21
‑
25
‑
101 through 21
‑
25
‑
103 are created to read:

CHAPTER 25
FAIRNESS IN WOMEN'S SPORTS ACT

21
‑
25
‑
101.

Short title.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Fairness in Women's Sports Act."

21
‑
25
‑
102.

Designation of athletic teams or sports.

(a)

Interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural or club athletic teams or sports that are sponsored by a public primary or public secondary school, a public institution of higher education or any school or institution whose students or teams compete against a public school or public institution of higher education must be expressly designated as one (1) of the following based on the biological sex at birth of team members:

(i)

Males, men or boys;

(ii)

Females, women or girls; or

(iii)

Coed or mixed, including both males and females.

(b)

Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex.

(c)

For purposes of this chapter, a statement of a student's biological sex on the student's official birth certificate is considered to have correctly stated the student's biological sex at birth if the statement was filed at or near the time of the student's birth.

(d) No government entity, licensing or accreditation entity, athletic association or athletic organization shall take any adverse action against a school district or institution of higher education for maintaining separate athletic teams or sports for students of the female sex.

21-25-103. Cause of action; remedies.

Any student who is harmed by a violation of this chapter or who is subject to retaliation or any other adverse action by a school district, athletic association or athletic organization as a result of reporting a violation of this chapter shall have a private cause of action for injunctive
relief, damages, attorney fees and any other relief available under law against the school district, athletic association or athletic organization.

Section 2.

Not later than August 15, 2022, the state superintendent of public instruction, the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming community college commission shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this act.

Section 3
.

(a)

Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, t
his act is effective July 1, 2022
.

(b)

Sections 2 and 3 of t
his act are effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

1
SF0051