The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act passed another milestone in the North Carolina legislature this week on its way to becoming law.

The NC Senate Higher Education Committee passed the House version of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.

The House passed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act in April with a veto-proof majority. The main difference in the Senate bill and the House bill was that the House bill included protection for collegiate women athletes, while the Senate bill only covered middle school and high school athletics.

The bill states, “Athletic teams designated for females, women or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex.”

Then the bill defines sex by stating, “For the purposes of this sub-subdivision, a student’s sex shall be recognized based solely on the student’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”

The bill effectively prohibits biological male transgender athletes from participating in athletics designated for females.

The bill would not prevent transgender athletes from participating on teams that are co-ed or designated for their biological sex at birth.

If the bill becomes law in North Carolina, the state would join 20 other states that have passed similar legislation protecting the rights of female athletes to compete against other females and not be forced to compete against biological male transgender athletes who supporters of the bill say have an unfair competitive advantage.

According to a survey conducted in January by NC Values and NC Faith & Freedom Coalition, 70 percent of North Carolinians believe that biological males should not be permitted to compete on female athletic teams.

A Gallop poll showed that 69 percent of Americans agree that female athletes should be protected from being forced to compete against biological male transgender competitors.

However, the Biden administration is attempting to amend Title IX laws that protect women’s sports to allow athletes to compete on either male or female athletic teams consistent with their gender identity.