Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act Passes House: A Closer Look at HR28 and Its Implications

Bill would ban transgender athletes, from K-12 and college women’s sports, from participating in women's athletics; It now advances to the Senate

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a memorial ceremony for former President Jimmy Carter in the Rotunda at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. Carter's body will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda until a funeral service at the National Cathedral in Washington on January 9. / Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” an amendment to Title IX, took a major step towards being a law on Tuesday, as it was passed by the United States House of Representatives.

According to a CBS News' report, the HR28 bill passed the House of Representatives and now will need to go through the Senate before going to a majority vote. The bill received 218 votes in favor of passage with 206 opposed and one voter, Democratic representative Don Davis (NC), voting present. 

The bill would ban transgender girls and women from competing on K-12 girls teams and womens' college sports teams.

Per the report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that about three percent of high school students identify themselves as transgender. Already, 27 of the 50 states have restrictions in place regarding transgender athlete participation in sports, according to theMovement Advancement Project.

Here is some of the text of the HR28 bill:

"(1) It shall be a violation of subsection (a) for a recipient of Federal financial assistance who operates, sponsors, or facilitates an athletic program or activity to permit a person whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls."

‘‘(2) For the purposes of this subsection, sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth."

‘‘(3) For the purposes of this subsection, the term ‘athletic programs and activities’ includes, but is not limited to, all programs or activities that are provided condiional upon participation with any athletic team."

A similar bill passed in the last Congress by a margin of 219-203, but was not taken up by then-Democratically controlled Senate. Republicans now control the Senate, which greatly enhances its chances of being taken up, but passage will require Democratic support. The GOP holds 53 seats in the Senate and the legislation must secure at least 60 votes to advance subject to filibuster.

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