South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said Monday she would sign a bill restricting girls’ teams and sports at public schools to students who are biologically female after the measure passed the state senate in a 20-15 vote.
“In South Dakota, we’re celebrating #InternationalWomensDay by defending women’s sports! I’m excited to sign this bill very soon,” Noem wrote in a tweet.
A spokesman for the governor told Fox News that they expected South Dakota “will be the first state this year to pass legislation of this sort.” However, the Mississippi House passed a bill 81-28 earlier this month to prohibit transgender athletes from competing on girls’ and women’s sports teams.
The ACLU of South Dakota has criticized the Women’s Fairness in Sports bill, which was introduced by State Representative Rhonda Milstead and passed the South Dakota House last month 50-17, according to KOTA TV.
