Transgender sports bill won't advance through legislature this year

The Save Women's Sports Act will not advance through the state legislature this year as House Speaker Tim Moore believes there is not a path forward for the bill to become law.

Neal Inman, Moore's chief of staff, confirmed an earlier report from the Associated Press, which first reported the bill would not receive a vote.

"After speaking with Republican members from both chambers, the Speaker does not see a path forward for this legislation to become law. The legislation will not be placed on the floor for a vote this year," Inman told HighSchoolOT in an email.

Inman said there would not be any additional statements about the bill at this time.

Rep. Mark Brody (R-Union) was one of the primary sponsors of the bill, which would have restricted sports participation for transgender student-athletes. During a hearing on the bill in the House Judiciary Committee, Brody said the bill would protect athletes who were born female from losing spots on athletic teams to transgender athletes who were born male.

Transgender athletes, their family members, and advocates spoke out against the bill in the hearing, claiming it was discriminatory and would hurt children who are transgender, providing them with fewer opportunities.

In the hearing, some Democratic lawmakers questioned if this bill addressed an a problem that actually existed. Brody responded by saying there wasn't an issue with addressing something before it became a problem.

The N.C. High School Athletic Association, the governing body of high school sports for North Carolina's public schools, implemented a gender policy in 2019, which provides transgender students a detailed pathway to eligibility for teams based on their gender identity. The policy requires medical documentation, information about surgeries or treatments, and statements from family, teachers, and friends.

According to the NCHSAA, fewer than 10 such requests have been received since the association adopted its gender policy.

Moore told the Associated Press that the General Assembly is not hearing of any cases in which transgender participation has become an issue.