Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania to designate their sports as either male or female.

Highlights:

• Defines “sex” as the biological characteristics of the reproductive system that define an individual as male or female, as determined by anatomy and genetics at the time of birth (Sec. 2). 

• Requires athletic teams sponsored by public school entities, public institutions of higher education, or any school competing against them to be designated as male, female, or coed based on sex (Sec. 3). 

• Prohibits students of the male sex from competing on female-designated teams (Sec 3). 

• Prohibits government entities, licensing or accrediting organizations, and athletic associations from taking adverse action against a school or institution for maintaining separate athletic teams for female students (Sec. 4). 

• Authorizes the following causes of action for a violation of this Act (Sec. 5):

• Students deprived of an athletic opportunity due to a violation may sue for injunctive relief, damages, and attorney fees;

• Students subject to retaliation for reporting a violation may sue for injunctive relief, damages, and attorney fees; and

• Schools harmed by a violation of the prohibition on adverse action may sue the offending entity for injunctive relief and damages. 

• Establishes a 2-year statute of limitations on all civil actions under this section (Sec. 5).

• Specifies that this Act takes effect 60 days after passage (Sec. 7).

Full Bill Text