Gov. Little signs bill protecting female-designated sports
BOISE — Female athletes may not have to compete against so-called “transgender” women — in other words, biological males — in Idaho .
That’s because Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 500, the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, into law Monday, March 30.
The measure amends state law to prevent those athletes born as males from competing in female-designated sports.
The bill follows the Idaho Legislature’s finding of fact that, biologically, there are “inherent differences between men and women.”
The finding points out the science outlining the need for the measure.
Some of those differences include chromosomal, hormonal, physiological, bone density, heart size, hemoglobin count, body fat and others. The findings also reference multiple scientific studies on the differences between genders.
Under House Bill 500, girls or women who suffer direct or indirect harm in being forced to compete against boys or men in female-designated sports are allowed to sue their school, university or other institution for damages.
The measure does not effect co-ed sports or female athletes who want to compete in male-designated sports.
The measure was one of two related bills signed into law by Gov. Little on Monday.
The second bill, House Bill 509, prohibits men or women from altering their birth certificates to reflect their so-called “gender identity,” rather than their actual birth gender.
Parents are also barred for changing the birth certificates of children based on gender-identity.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, columnist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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