HARRISBURG – Sens. Judy Ward (R-30) and Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-28) announced today the Senate approved legislation to preserve opportunities for female athletes at public schools and colleges by requiring scholastic sports teams to be designated based on biological sex.
Senate Bill 1293 would require public schools and colleges to label sports teams as male, female or coed. The legislation states only biological females can join teams designated for women. The bill would also allow students to take legal action if they are harmed by violations of this rule.
“The Save Women’s Sports Act is about ensuring that female athletes have a level playing field and that the progress made throughout the past decades in women’s athletics is protected,” Ward said. “While House Democrats continue to play partisan politics instead of protecting the women of this commonwealth, Senate Republicans stand ready to provide every female athlete the opportunity they have fought so hard to achieve.”
“Fairness in women’s sports should never be up for debate or subject to change with shifting federal guidance,” Phillips-Hill said. “I want to thank Sen. Judy Ward for her leadership as we have continued to work together in championing this issue. The Senate has acted in a bipartisan way to ensure that in Pennsylvania, equal opportunity for female athletes is not temporary. It is guaranteed.”
Sen. Ward introduced the bill alongside her female colleagues Sens. Phillips-Hill, Kim Ward, Lisa Baker, Michele Brooks, Camera Bartolotta, Tracy Pennycuick, Rosemary Brown, Lynda Schlegel Culver and Dawn Keefer. The bill has also garnered significant support from several co-sponsors, including Sens. Greg Rothman, Doug Mastriano, Wayne Langerholc, Jr., Scott Hutchinson, Scott Martin, Patrick Stefano, Cris Dush and Frank Farry.
Since 2020 in Pennsylvania, men have stolen first place from female athletes 87 times and unjustly took second or third place 64 times.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, males, on average, have larger hearts, more muscle mass, less percentage body fat and use energy more efficiently. This means that for athletic events relying on endurance, strength, speed, and power, males usually outperform females by 10–30% depending on the sport.
Recently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) enacted new policy guidelines ensuring that all sporting events under their jurisdiction for any female category are limited to biological females only. Additionally, the IOC provided that after scientific review, they determined a sex-based eligibility rule is necessary and adequate to the attainment of their goals for competition.
The legislation is similar to Senate Bill 9, which was passed by the Senate in May 2025 with bipartisan support. Since then, Senate Bill 9 has been delayed by the House of Representatives in four different committees due to House Democrats’ political tricks and parliamentary games, which pose great risk to young female athletes.
“The passage of this legislation by the Senate Education Committee marks a significant step toward maintaining integrity and safety in women’s sports across Pennsylvania,” said Ward.
The legislation will be sent to the House of Representatives, where action is urged.
To view Sen. Ward’s floor remarks, click here.
To view Sen. Phillips-Hill’s remarks, click here.
Residents can follow Ward on Facebook at Facebook.com/SenJudyWard and X (Twitter) @SenatorJWard for news about legislation and the 30th Senate District. Contact information for her district offices and other information can be found on her website at SenatorJudyWard.com, and constituents also can sign up for her e-newsletter.
CONTACT: Nathan Akers, 717-787-2421