by Tom Joyce
Arizona now has new rules regarding transgender school sports athletes.
Governor Doug Ducey signed Senate Bills 1138 and 1165 on Wednesday.
As a result of Senate Bill 1165, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, all Arizona public schools and the private schools that compete against them must designate their athletic participation based on the biological sex of participating students.
“S.B. 1165 creates a statewide policy to ensure that biologically female athletes at Arizona public schools, colleges, and universities have a level playing field to compete,” Ducey said in his announcement. “Every young Arizona athlete should have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities that give them a sense of belonging and allow them to grow and thrive.”
Similarly, Ducey also signed Senate Bill 1138, sponsored by Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert. It prevents minors from receiving gender reassignment surgery in Arizona until they turn 18 years old. It does not ban puberty-blocking hormones or other hormone therapies and doesn’t require children to stop using any prescriptions they’re currently using.
“S.B. 1138 delays any irreversible gender reassignment surgery until the age of 18,” Ducey said in the letter. “The reason is simple, and common sense – this is a decision that will dramatically affect the rest of an individual’s life, including the ability of that individual to become a biological parent later in life.”
Physicians in the state will be allowed to give medical treatment for sex development disorders and infection or disease caused by gender transition procedures.
Both bills passed along partisan lines. Senate Bill 1138 passed 31-26 in the Arizona House of Representatives and 16-12 in the Senate. Meanwhile, Senate Bill 1165 passed 31-24 in the House and 16-13 in the Senate. Every Republican supported the measures and no Democrats voted in favor of them.
The American Civil Liberties Union vowed to challenge both laws in court.Â
“The government can’t violate our rights without a fight,” the organization said Wednesday.
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Tom Joyce is a contributor to The Center Square.
