ST. PAUL – Minnesota House Republicans on Tuesday attempted to advance three separate bills they said protect safe and fair athletic competitions for biological females. Democrats blocked each proposal.
State Rep. Shane Mekeland, R-Clear Lake, said the effort follows recent news that the Department of Justice is suing Minnesota for failing to protect girls sports and women-only spaces. The legislation also follows a recent International Olympic Committee decision banning men from women’s Olympic events.
The Preserving Girls Sports Act (H.F. 12) is one of three bills House Republicans looked to approve. It specifically states that only female students may participate in school sports restricted on the basis of sex to women or girls. By failing to pass it into law, Mekeland said the door remains open for biological males to continue participating in Minnesota girls sports even though polls show around 80 percent of people agree with the bill’s position.
“People I talk to can hardly believe we even have to consider writing a law stating that girls sports should be reserved for biological females,” Mekeland said. “What’s even more difficult to comprehend is how House Democrats could vote against protections for young girls, raising concerns about both safety and fair competition. It undermines the progress that’s been made over decades, from Title IX to today.
“This is not a complicated issue. Most Minnesotans expect common-sense policies that protect fairness in girls athletics. Unfortunately, House Democrats chose to move in a different direction, siding with fringe activists rather than addressing the concerns of most families they represent.”
The action on the Minnesota House floor comes after the DOJ announced in March that it is suing Minnesota to protect girls sports. The suit alleges Minnesota is violating Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls competition, creating an unfair playing field and limiting opportunities for female athletes. It comes after Minnesota missed a key federal deadline of Jan. 2, 2026, to change its transgender athlete policy or risk penalties.
The Minnesota Supreme Court in October ruled that excluding males from female athletics based on sex qualifies as illegal “public accommodation” discrimination. Meanwhile, the Minnesota State High School League refuses to comply with a federal ban on biological males competing in female sports. Last spring, a male-born pitcher led a female softball team to a state championship in dominating fashion.
In addition, starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the International Olympic Committee has implemented a new policy prohibiting athletes who have gone through male puberty from competing in the female category. This policy restricts the women's category to biological females, which the IOC said aims to protect the fairness, safety, and integrity of female sports.
House Democrats also voted against allowing a vote on the Preserving Girls Sports Act to take place last year. House Republicans motioned to move two other similarly themed bills (H.F. 2685 and H.F. 1233) on Tuesday, but Democrats stopped those on separate party-line votes as well.
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