DECATUR, IL… State Representative Regan Deering (R-Decatur) has hit the ground running during her first week as a newly inaugurated State Representative by filing legislation to protect female athletes playing on school teams. Her legislation, HB 1117, would require school sports teams to be designated as male, female, or coeducational, with students only being able to participate on teams that match their biological sex.
To ensure female athletes are protected, HB 1117 also requires a school district or nonpublic school to obtain a written statement signed by the student, parent, or guardian verifying the student’s age, biological sex, and that the student has not taken performance enhancing drugs. The bill also seeks to protect schools from governmental or interscholastic entities that choose to entertain a complaint, open an investigation, or take other adverse action against the district or nonpublic school for following the provisions of the bill.
“As a mother of two daughters, I am committed to providing safety, fairness, and opportunity for young girls all over the state, and that starts by taking a science-based approach and unraveling the radical policies that put political ideology over the interests of our families,” said Rep. Deering. “In my legislation, I have spearheaded the fight for young girls by seeking to preserve sports and private spaces, like locker rooms, for biological females. I am proud to sponsor legislation that protects our daughters by keeping biological males out of those spaces and activities and allowing female athletes to restore their confidence and determination that is built by being on sports teams.”
This measure came after the United States House of Representatives passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act; a bill Rep. Deering is urging her colleagues to bring to Illinois in an effort to protect young girls playing on school sports teams.
“This issue runs deeper than just allowing students to play on any team they choose, this is a safety issue and one I will not sit by idly and let it happen,” concluded Deering.
For more information, please reach out to Rep. Deering at RepDeering.com.
###