A bill focusing on the participation of transgender athletes in school sports has passed the Utah House of Representatives and will now be moving onto the Senate for consideration.
Sponsored by Rep. Kera Birkeland, House Bill 11 passed the House on Wednesday afternoon in a vote of 52 to 16. The bill will require junior high and high school transgender athletes to stand before a commission in order to determine if they’re eligible to play on a school team.
According to Birkeland, the primary goal for this bill was to keep athletes safe and to prevent competitive disadvantages in girls’ sports. After being introduced last year, the bill promoted a veto threat from Gov. Spencer Cox, who now says that officials are optimistic for a good outcome.
House Bill 11 has attracted opposition and sparked controversy from all sides of the issues regarding transgender athletes. For now, the bill will be taken to the Senate for consideration.
