The state’s senate passed Bill 9, the Save Women’s Sports Act, back in March, but the House Committee on Education has refused to hold a vote. Now Democrats have re-referred the bill to yet another committee further delaying a vote on the measure.
The bill mandates that public colleges and K-12 schools designate athletic teams by biological sex, explicitly labeling them male, female or coed. Males are banned from female teams, and legal challenges are permitted if an institution allows such participation.
Pennsylvania has been Ground Zero for attacks on women’s sports with how the University of Pennsylvania allowed the participation of William “Lia” Thomas on its women’s swim team.
The Trump administration in March froze $175 million in federal funding for UPenn because of Title IX violations. The case was settled, and the school agreed to apologize to female athletes affected by Thomas and to strip from Thomas all titles, honors and awards won.
Now state Democrats are slow-playing further protections for women.
“Some members of the House put up a roadblock trying to prevent this from getting to the floor for a vote. We're optimistic in that the discharge petition will allow this to be brought up out of committee and be voted on, up or down, by all the members of the state’s House,” said Brad Dacus, the president of Pacific Justice Institute.
Representative Barb Gleim, a Republican, has filed a discharge petition to force SB 9's consideration in the House.
Dacus is confident the bill will eventually be passed and that Governor Josh Shapiro will sign the legislation into law.
“Governor Shapiro is a sharp, smart politician, and I think he knows that if he decides to run for president in 2028, a veto of legislation like this would definitely be a disservice for his political ambitions.”
