87S30046 KJE-F
By: Perry S.B. No. 27
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requiring public school and public institution of
higher education students to compete in interscholastic athletic
competitions based on biological sex.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 33, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 33.0834 to read as follows:
Sec. 33.0834. INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC COMPETITION BASED
ON BIOLOGICAL SEX. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), an
interscholastic athletic team sponsored or authorized by a school
district or open-enrollment charter school may not allow a student
to compete on the team in an interscholastic athletic competition
sponsored or authorized by the district or school that is
designated for the biological sex opposite to the student's
biological sex as correctly stated on:
(1) the student's official birth certificate, as
described by Subsection (c); or
(2) if the student's official birth certificate
described by Subdivision (1) is unobtainable, another government
record.
(b) An interscholastic athletic team described by
Subsection (a) may allow a female student to compete in an
interscholastic athletic competition that is designated for male
students if a corresponding interscholastic athletic competition
designated for female students is not offered or available.
(c) For purposes of this section, a statement of a student's
biological sex on the student's official birth certificate is
considered to have correctly stated the student's biological sex
only if the statement was:
(1) entered at or near the time of the student's birth;
or
(2) modified to correct a clerical error in the
student's biological sex.
(d) The University Interscholastic League shall adopt rules
to implement this section, provided that the rules must be approved
by the commissioner in accordance with Section 33.083(b).
(e) A student who attends a school district or
open-enrollment charter school that sponsors or authorizes an
interscholastic athletic team that violates this section may bring
a civil action against the district or school if the student is
directly harmed by the violation. The student may obtain:
(1) injunctive relief; and
(2) court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.980 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.980. INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC COMPETITION BASED ON
BIOLOGICAL SEX. (a) In this section, "institution of higher
education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), an
interscholastic athletic team sponsored or authorized by an
institution of higher education may not allow a student to compete
on the team in an interscholastic athletic competition sponsored or
authorized by the institution that is designated for the biological
sex opposite to the student's biological sex as correctly stated
on:
(1) the student's official birth certificate, as
described by Subsection (d); or
(2) if the student's official birth certificate
described by Subdivision (1) is unobtainable, another government
record.
(c) An interscholastic athletic team described by
Subsection (b) may allow a female student to compete in an
interscholastic athletic competition that is designated for male
students if a corresponding interscholastic athletic competition
designated for female students is not offered or available.
(d) For purposes of this section, a statement of a student's
biological sex on the student's official birth certificate is
considered to have correctly stated the student's biological sex
only if the statement was:
(1) entered at or near the time of the student's birth;
or
(2) modified to correct a clerical error in the
student's biological sex.
(e) A student who attends an institution of higher education
that sponsors or authorizes an interscholastic athletic team that
violates this section may bring a civil action against the
institution if the student is directly harmed by the violation. The
student may obtain:
(1) injunctive relief; and
(2) court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
SECTION 3. This Act applies to any interscholastic athletic
competition sponsored or authorized by a school district,
open-enrollment charter school, or public institution of higher
education that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 4. If any provision of this Act or its application
to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does
not affect other provisions or applications of this Act that can be
given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to
this end the provisions of this Act are declared to be severable.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
legislative session.