February 11, 2015
South Dakota House Votes to Void Transgender Students Sports Policy
Bobby McGuire READ TIME: 1 MIN.
PIERRE, S.D. - The full state House has approved a proposal that would void a High School Activities Association policy on transgender student participation in sports.
South-DakotaThe House voted 51 to 16 on Tuesday to pass the measure.
The policy, which was adopted in June, requires the association to review requests by transgender students or their guardians to decide on which team the student can participate.
Republican Rep. Jim Bolin of Canton is sponsoring the measure to void that policy. Bolin's plan would require students to play on the same team as the gender identified on their birth certificates.
He says the association made a "significant error" when it adopted the policy.
Republican Rep. Steve Hickey voted against the measure Tuesday. Hickey said that society takes sports too seriously and that he found himself feeling empathetic.
