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Missouri House approves Burger’s Save Women’s Sports Act
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri House of Representatives has approved legislation meant to promote fairness in competition and opportunity for female student athletes. By a vote of 104-46, the Missouri House third read and passed state Rep. Jamie Burger’s HB 183 to establish the Save Women’s Sports Act.
Burger’s legislation would prohibit public school districts and charter schools from allowing students grade six to 12 and public and private postsecondary educational institutions from allowing any student to compete in an athletics competition designated for the opposite sex, as determined by the student’s official birth certificate. The bill clarifies that biological sex is only correctly stated on birth certificates if it was entered at or near the time of birth or modified to correct scrivener’s error. The bill also makes it clear a female student may be allowed to compete in an athletics competition designated for male students if there is no such athletics competition for female students offered.
“Biological males are bigger, they are stronger, and they are faster. The majority of women simply cannot compete. Years of competing against biological males will wipe out female sports as we know it. We must protect the gains women have made in the last 50 years,” said Burger, R-Benton, who also serves as the House Assistant Majority Floor Leader.
Burger added, “According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, before Title IX was put in place one in 27 girls played in sports. Today with Title IX two in five girls participate in girls’ sports. With biological males competing in girls’ sports, this is threatened.”
The legislation specifies that any school district, charter school, or private school that violates the provisions of the bill will have a portion of their state funding withheld by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Any public postsecondary educational institution that violates the provisions of the bill would have to remit a fine in the amount of 25% of their current fiscal year state operating appropriation for a first violation, 50% for a second violation, and 100% for subsequent violations. The bill also allows postsecondary education institutions to be fined up to $1 million by the Coordinating Board of Higher Education.
The legislation now moves to the Senate. Lawmakers have until Friday, May 12 to give final approval to the bill and send it to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.