In a curious twist of legislative maneuvering, Pennsylvania House Democrats are attempting to block the bipartisan Senate-backed Save Women’s Sports Act by rerouting the bill from the Education Committee to the Health Committee—a move Republicans decry as a violation of procedural norms aimed at sidelining female athletes.
The GOP-sponsored SB 9, which passed the State Senate in early May with support from five Democratic members, has languished in the House Education Committee since May 7, according to Republican Committee Chairman Bryan Cutler.
As articulated in a press release from the Pennsylvania Senate Republicans, “This legislation is designed to ensure that athletic teams specifically designated for women are reserved for biological females in K–12 and collegiate sports across Pennsylvania.”
Recall that in February, President Trump signed a significant executive order designed to prevent biological males from competing in women’s sports. The “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” EO mandates the Department of Education to enforce Title IX based on biological sex, threatening to withhold federal funding from educational institutions that permit transgender women to participate in women’s sports.
Yet, Democrats in the State House are stalling a final vote that was anticipated as early as next week.
According to the Daily Signal:
State Rep. Peter Schweyer, the Democrat chairman of the Pennsylvania House Education Committee, spearheaded the effort to postpone the floor vote. Republicans, led by Rep. Barb Gleim, had collected enough signatures on a discharge petition to compel a House floor vote on the bill, potentially by next week. However, Schweyer opted to redirect the legislation to the House Health Committee on Tuesday.
The committee ultimately voted along party lines to reassign the bill to the health panel, with 14 Democratic legislators in favor and 12 Republicans opposed. This decision ensures that the bill will remain dormant without a full House floor vote for at least another 15 legislative days, per Pennsylvania’s legislative rules. Currently, the state House holds a razor-thin Democratic majority of just one vote (102 to 101).
GOP State Rep. Barb Gleim criticized the delay tactics, stating, “Women and girls in competitive sports shouldn’t have their futures tossed around like a sweaty towel on a hot day. SB 9 guarantees that Title IX is upheld in Pennsylvania. We need to vote before fall sports commence.”
Before the Tuesday vote, Gleim accused Democrats of “silencing the voices of countless women and girls who compete in sports in Pennsylvania.” She emphasized, “We should not be redirecting this bill, especially since there’s a federal executive order mandating adherence to the rule of law.”
Rep. Joseph D’Orsie lamented, “By opting to reassign Senate Bill 9, we’re postponing justice for girls,” criticizing Democrats for “prioritizing the preferences of a few over the privacy and safety of millions of girls in our Commonwealth.”
He continued, “These are daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and friends—girls who deserve equal and safe playing fields. A vote to re-refer this bill is a vote against women and girls, blatantly undermining Title IX protections that have been fought for.”
Rep. Milou Mackenzie questioned the rationale behind Schweyer’s decision to shift the bill to the Health Committee, asserting, “Girls’ sports are part of our educational institutions. There’s no logical reason for this move.”
In response to the criticism, Schweyer acknowledged, “We had an internal discussion, and after speaking with the majority Chair of Health, we decided this would be a more suitable committee for the legislation.”
Rep. Stephenie Scialabba responded sharply, suggesting that this explanation is merely a “de facto admission of strategic rule manipulation,” and challenged the Democrats, “How can you sleep at night?”
GOP Chairman Bryan Cutler further condemned the Democrats’ tactics, explaining that the motion to re-refer coincides with Rep. Gleim’s intention to introduce a discharge resolution to force the bill to the floor. “Reassigning the bill to another committee simply resets the waiting period, delaying any action on this critical issue,” he stated. “It’s time we support our female athletes. They deserve not only a fair chance on the field but also a vote on the House floor.”
Despite the GOP’s efforts, Democrats voted en masse to re-refer the bill, effectively allowing men to compete in women’s sports and risking federal funding for schools for at least another 15 days.
Once passed in the House, the bill will be sent to Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro for his approval.
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