Lawmakers have rejected a measure dealing with high school sports and transgender students. House Bill 1195 bars the South Dakota High School Activities Association from making policies regarding sexuality or gender identity. The SDHSAA adopted a transgender policy in June of 2014. The policy outlines procedures if a student identifies as transgender and wishes to participate on a sports team opposite of his or her birth gender.
Proponents of House Bill 1195 offered many reasons for abolishing the High School Activities Association’s transgender policy. Many cited issues of fairness and safety for female students. Representative Jim Bolin of Canton is the main sponsor of the bill. He says the Activities Association overstepped its bounds by allowing students to dispute information on official birth certificates.
"The South Dakota High School Athletic, excuse me, Activities Association policy allows individuals to declare as invalid official state information. No organization authorized by the state has the authority to act in such a manner as was taken in June of 2014. Only the legislature could possibly have such authority," says Bolin.
Opponents of the measure say the High School Activities Association put a lot of thought and research into crafting a policy that supports students dealing with a complex issue. Diana Miller represents the Large School Group. She says this is about local control. Miller says the SDHSAA has adopted a policy that allows school districts to do what is best at the local level.
"Local schools are best able to deal with this. The best governance is closest to the people. Not a body that sits in judgment based on feelings, emotions, and non-evidence based facts," says Miller.
The Senate Education Committee voted 4 to 3 to send House Bill 1195 to the 41st day effectively killing it. The committee will vote on a similar measure, House Bill 1161, on Thursday.