Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Thursday a bill banning transgender athletes from competing against women in college sports.
law Beginning in 2021, Texas law will be strengthened to require all public sports teams from kindergarten through high school to be “designated by the student’s sex assigned at birth.”
It was billed as “protecting the women’s sports law”, Senate Bill 15 Collegiate athletes must be on teams based on their biological sex, or the gender “correctly” listed on the student’s birth certificate, it said.
“Today is a big day for female athletes across Texas, including girls who hope to one day compete in college sports,” Abbott said.
“This law applies to intercollegiate sports competitions sponsored or sanctioned by public institutions of higher education held on or after the effective date of this law,” the bill reads. (Related article: Joe Biden enrages WNBA All-Star Aja Wilson for missing out on Las Vegas Ace Championship)
Here are the governor’s tweets about the bill:
In 2021, I signed a law to protect the integrity of girls’ sports from kindergarten through high school.
I promised in the next Congress to extend that protection at the university level.
Today I sign that protection into law.
Join us live: https://t.co/rmFb1eHMdK pic.twitter.com/sRdhRW2Yys
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 15, 2023
College sports help young women grow, learn valuable life skills, and achieve their dreams.
Having biological men compete with them threatens this path for young women to succeed.
Today, I signed the “Women’s Sports Preservation Act” to protect women’s college sports. pic.twitter.com/tDncfbHBbH
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 15, 2023
thank you, @Riley_Gaines_.
I am proud of your courage to advocate for the protection of women’s sport.
With the legislation I signed today, Texas will ensure college sports give women the opportunity to thrive for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/kqHHoFnAvE
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 15, 2023
The law will come into effect on September 1st at the earliest.
