Sens. Judy Ward and Kristin Phillips-Hill announced on Apr. 22 that the Pennsylvania Senate has approved legislation requiring public school and college sports teams to be designated as male, female, or coed based on biological sex.
The bill, known as Senate Bill 1293, aims to preserve opportunities for female athletes by stating that only biological females can participate on women’s teams. The legislation also provides students with the ability to take legal action if they are harmed by violations of this rule.
Ward said, “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.” She added, “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.”
Phillips-Hill said, “Fairness in women’s sports should never be up for debate or subject to change with shifting federal guidance. 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.”
According to Ward and Phillips-Hill, men have taken first place from female athletes 87 times since 2020 in Pennsylvania and claimed second or third place 64 times during that period. The American College of Sports Medicine reports males generally outperform females by between 10–30% depending on the sport due to physiological differences such as heart size and muscle mass.
Recently adopted International Olympic Committee guidelines state all sporting events under their jurisdiction for any female category are limited exclusively to biological females after scientific review determined such rules were necessary.
Senate Bill 1293 follows previous efforts like Senate Bill 9 passed by the chamber with bipartisan support but delayed in committee at the House of Representatives. Ward called passage through committee “a significant step toward maintaining integrity and safety in women’s sports across Pennsylvania.” The bill now heads back for consideration by House lawmakers.
Phillips-Hill represents York County’s 28th District according to her official website, where she also serves as Majority Caucus Chair and holds several committee positions including Banking and Insurance. She engages constituents through programs like unclaimed property sessions and “Senator for a Day” events according to her official site. In addition, she introduced measures last year focused on cybersecurity improvements and expanding naloxone access according to her official website. As a member of the Republican Party serving since her election according to her official website, Phillips-Hill offers constituent services related to state issues including legislative tracking as noted online.
