Contributed Article/Courtesy Arizona House of Representatives
PHOENIX – On Monday, the Arizona House Republicans passed House Concurrent Resolution 2003, the Protect Girls’ Sports in Arizona Act, sending the measure to the Senate and moving closer to placing protections for female athletes before voters in November 2026.
Sponsored by Representative Selina Bliss, HCR 2003 would refer to the ballot a measure requiring school-sponsored interscholastic and intramural athletic teams to be designated as male, female, or coeducational based on biological sex. It also strengthens privacy protections by prohibiting schools and athletic associations from allowing individuals to use private athletic facilities that are not designated for their sex.
The referral restores and strengthens provisions of Arizona’s 2022 Save Women’s Sports Act that were partially blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
“Today the House acted to protect fair competition for girls across Arizona,” said Representative Selina Bliss. “Women’s sports were created because biological differences matter. When those differences are ignored, girls lose roster spots, scholarships, and opportunities they earned. HCR 2003 gives voters the chance to protect female athletes and establish clear, durable rules for schools.”
Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, schools and athletic associations would be required to designate athletic teams as male, female, or coeducational based on biological sex. Teams designated for females may not be opened to athletes of the male sex. The measure allows athletes to participate on teams aligned with their sex, preserves protections against retaliation, and grants a private cause of action to athletes deprived of opportunities due to violations of the law. It also prohibits adverse action against schools or athletic associations that maintain separate teams for female athletes.
“Court rulings have created uncertainty for schools and families,” Representative Bliss said. “This referral allows Arizona voters to decide whether girls’ sports should remain for girls. It protects privacy in locker rooms and showers and restores clarity statewide.”
If approved, the measure would apply to public and qualifying private schools serving kindergarten through 12th grade and would appear on the next general election ballot.
HCR 2003 now advances to the Arizona Senate.
