Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed a controversial bill on Thursday barring transgender college athletes in the state from competing in sports that align with their gender identity.
The new law expands upon a 2021 law that banned transgender students in K-12 Texas school districts and some charter schools from doing the same.
It will take effect on September 1, according to a news release from Abbott. Abbott framed Senate Bill 15, titled the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” as necessary to protect female athletes from unfair competition. “Women’s sports are being threatened.
Some women are being forced to compete against biological men,” he said during a signing event Thursday. The new law now allows individuals to sue institutions that allow trans athletes to compete on teams that align with their gender identity.