The proposed legislation, H.B. 1387, is sweeping in scope. It seeks to affect sports at all levels of competition — including “interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic” teams in both the K-12 and college realms. It attempts to influence private schools, too, prohibiting public schools from competing against private school teams unless the private schools agree to comply with the bill and restrict students to sports teams that match their sex as assigned at birth.
Greenhalgh did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.
The Virginia bill comes during a tsunami of education laws targeted to transgender students. In the past three academic years, legislators have passed 64 bills that alter how students learn and the rights they have at school, according to an analysis by The Washington Post — and of those laws, 42 percent bar transgender students from playing on sports teams that match their gender identities.
The bill also follows close on the heels of a recent move by the administration of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) to severely restrict the rights of transgender students. The Youngkin administration in September proposed guidelines that would limit the rights of transgender students in schools, including requiring them to use the school facilities and sports teams that match their sex assigned at birth. Those policies could take effect this month.
Asked about the bill Tuesday night, a spokeswoman for Youngkin said that “the governor will review the legislation when it comes to his desk.” She did not answer questions on whether this was a bill sought by the administration.
