RELEASE: Texas House Committee Holds Hearing on Save Girls’ Sports Bill
Today, the Texas House Public Education Committee is holding a hearing on S.B. 2, the Save Girls’ Sports bill, after a long wait to reach quorum. S.B. 2 prohibits biological males from competing in University Interscholastic League (UIL) sports for middle schools and high schools. S.B. 2 already passed in the Texas Senate on August 11. Nationally, 37 states have proposed similar bills and 9 have signed them into law– most recently in Florida.
Here are some of the statements from witnesses and experts who are testifying at this hearing:
“After a long road to reach quorum, we are thankful to the members of the Texas House who did the right thing and showed up to protect girls’ sports in Texas. Girls deserve fair play. No girl should have to compete against a biological male. Women have worked too hard for an equal playing field in sports and other areas, and biological males should not take those opportunities away from them.” – Mary Elizabeth Castle, Senior Policy Advisor for Texas Values
“This is a commonsense issue that we should not have to fight in the political sphere. If we allow males to compete in female sports there will no longer be female sports. It is an honor for me to be back in the great state of Texas to help save girls. I know Texas will do what is right.”-Beth Stelzer, Founder of Save Womens’ Sports
“I’m thrilled to be here in Texas to help protect opportunities for girls and women in sports. As the sponsor of the first of its kind legislation to pass in Idaho, as a former Division I Women’s Basketball player, and as a Division I Women’s Basketball coach for 15 years at four fantastic institutions, I know first-hand that girls and women cannot compete against the inherent physiological advantages that boys and men possess. Just as the women who have gone before me paved a path forward, I feel the same responsibility to continue to protect these opportunities for girls and women in sports. Thank you Texas for stepping up! – Rep. Barbara Ehardt, Idaho State Representative, NCAA Division I Athlete, and Coach
“The term inclusivity is being used by progressives as a tool to erode girls’ boundaries and erode their right to consent to boys in their intimate spaces and sports. This ‘inclusivity’ comes at the direct expense of girls’ boundaries. Our foremothers fought for single-sex spaces and single-sex sports for the safety of and fairness to our bodies.”-Amy Sousa, Feminist and Activist
S.B. 2 is an identical bill to S.B. 29 from the first session. This bill defends the rights of women not to be forced to compete against biological males in women’s sports. Title IX was designed to stop discrimination and create equal athletic opportunities for women. This bill recognizes and protects the advances that have been made in the last 50 years for women. The Texas Senate successfully passed two bills on the issue of fair play in the first special session that began July 8th.
During the regular session, Texas state Representative Valoree Swanson filed H.B. 1458 that would have corrected the widespread issue of biological men unfairly competing in women’s sports. The bill had broad support in the House with an astonishing 77 co-authors and joint authors signing on. Despite this overwhelming support, it never received a hearing in the House State Affairs Committee.
The second Special Session started on Saturday, August 7. Governor Greg Abbott announced a second Special Session after the Texas House failed to pass any legislation before the last day of the first special session due to Texas House Democrats fleeing the state and the first Special Session ending without a quorum. More than 50 Democratic members fled the state in July to avoid voting on this and other bills.
For More Information Contact:
Arina Grossu
512-478-2220