Sponsors (12)
The bill commissions a federal study and guidance aimed at protecting biological female athletes and improving school responses to harassment, but it risks enabling restrictive policies for transgender athletes and imposing resource and legal costs on schools and the DOJ.
Women and girls in athletics may get stronger federal attention to harassment and abuse, which could lead to improved protections and enforcement of their rights and safety.
Students and school athletic programs will likely receive clearer guidance within about a year to prevent online harassment and abuse, helping schools address safety concerns more effectively.
State and federal policymakers will get evidence-based recommendations to address loss of opportunities and safety concerns for biological female athletes, informing future policy decisions.
Transgender individuals may face new restrictions on participation in women's sports if the mandated study is used to justify restrictive policies, threatening their rights and inclusion.
Schools and athletic organizations could incur legal disputes and additional compliance costs if the report prompts state or federal policy changes, creating financial and administrative burdens.
The Department of Justice will need to devote staff time and resources to prepare the comprehensive report, diverting federal resources from other priorities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the Attorney General to deliver a report within one year analyzing harms to females in athletics and recommending policy responses.
Official title: Require the Attorney General to submit to Congress a report relating to violence against women in athletics.
Introduced January 13, 2025 by Marsha Blackburn · Last progress January 13, 2025
Requires the U.S. Attorney General to deliver a federal report within one year analyzing violence and harms to females in athletics and evaluating laws and policies that affect fair and safe competition. The report must examine how biological female athletes may lose opportunities when competing against biological males, the effectiveness of State and Federal laws on bodily harm and loss of opportunity, online harassment, and sexual harassment/abuse in athletics, and must include policy recommendations to address those problems. The measure is a one-time, directed study: it does not itself change legal rules or allocate new program funding, but it directs the Department of Justice to investigate prevalence, causes, legal effectiveness, and to propose policy responses for Congress and other stakeholders to consider.