A bill sponsored by state Sen. Beth Mizell of Franklinton would prohibit transgender athletes from competing in their new gender identity.
Mizell’s bill easily passed in the state Senate last week and now awaits approval by the state House of Representatives. If it passes in the House, it would then go to the governor for his signature or his veto.
A similar bill sponsored by Mizell last year was vetoed by Gov. John Bel Edwards, who called it “a solution searching for a problem.”
The bill easily passed in the Senate with a 29-6 vote and is likely to also be passed by the House. Whether the governor will then sign it remains in question.
Mizell’s bill basically says that people born as women must compelte against women in sports, and people born as men must compete against men in sports. It would affect athletes from kindergarten age all the way through the college level.
Mizell terms her bill as “fairness in women’s sports.”
A Republican from rural Franklinton, Mizell serves as president pro tempore of the state Senate. She was originally elected in 2015 and was re-elected in 2019.
