Judiciary committee hears hours of public testimony on HB 148, a bill to allow classification by biological sex in some settings

The House Judiciary Committee spent more than three hours hearing public testimony on House Bill 148, a proposal that would allow classification by “biological sex” for three specific contexts: intimate spaces (bathrooms and locker rooms), houses of correction, and certain athletic competitions.

Representative Jim Kofalt, the prime sponsor, told the committee the bill "essentially addresses 3 situations" and that it would not itself "mandate the separation of sexes" but would allow local policymakers to make those decisions. "This bill," he said in his opening remarks, "allows discretion and latitude for local policymakers to clarify those things for their own purposes and set a policy that everyone can live with."

Supporters who testified said the bill simply restores the ability of school boards, employers and corrections officials to make safety and privacy decisions without the threat of litigation. Betsy…