A bill focusing on the participation of transgender athletes in school sports has advanced even higher on Capitol Hill and will now go to the full senate for voting.
Sponsored by Rep. Kera Birkeland, House Bill 11’s primary goal is to require transgender athletes to stand before a commission to determine their eligibility for participation in school sports based on their gender identity. The bill narrowly passed a Utah Senate committee vote on Wednesday evening with a 4 to 3 vote.
Birkeland says that the bill was designed to keep athletes safe and to prevent disadvantages in girls’ sports. Despite this, the bill has gotten plenty of opposition from groups around the state. Sue Robbins of Equality Utah opposes the bill but still wants negotiations to continue about its purpose.
Now that it has advanced through a Senate committee, House Bill 11 now moves on to the full Senate for voting.
