Senate education committee hears bill to define “gender” as biological sex in century code

Summary

Supporters told the North Dakota Senate Education Committee the bill would codify a binary gender definition in state records and school materials; opponents and health advocates said it would harm transgender and intersex people and risk students’ safety and mental health. Lawmakers heard hours of testimony but took no vote.

The North Dakota Senate Education Committee held a hearing on House Bill 11‑81, a proposal to amend the North Dakota Century Code so that words referencing an individual’s “gender” would be defined as that individual’s sex, and to require that definition for state policies, records and materials used by public schools, institutions under the State Board of Higher Education, and state agencies.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Sue Ann Olson, told the committee the measure would “align state policy with federal policy” and argued that a binary definition of gender is “scientifically honest” and necessary to preserve opportunities and privacy for girls and women. Olson asked the committee for a “do pass” recommendation.

Supporters who testified said the change would provide clarity and protect female-only spaces. David Tamassee, executive director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference, said the church “insists that transgender persons should…

Senate education committee hears bill to define “gender” as biological sex in century code

Summary

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