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Colorado committee divided on bill to reserve girls' sports for biological females; measure fails on 8–3 vote
Summary
Supporters including coaches, parents and some athletes told the committee HB 26‑10‑83 would protect fairness and safety in girls' sports. Opponents said the bill discriminates against transgender youth and risks chilling participation; the committee voted the bill down and then postponed it indefinitely.
Representative Bottoms introduced HB 26‑10‑83 as a safety and fairness measure to ensure teams designated for females remain reserved for biological females. He framed the bill as protecting Title IX opportunities and scholarships for girls.
Supporters — ranging from former collegiate athletes and coaches to faith leaders and conservative advocacy groups — described competitive and safety concerns. A former NCAA athlete said competing against a biological male had cost her opportunities, and multiple coaches and parents recounted local examples where girls said they felt unsafe or stopped participating. "Vote yes on this bill because if you don't, you are failing them," one parent testified.
Opponents included transgender athletes, LGBTQ advocates, public‑health and civil‑rights organizations and several school and youth‑sport administrators. They argued the measure would exclude transgender youth, invite invasive enforcement and create unintended harms for cisgender girls who are more athletic or atypical in appearance. Kara Allison testified that the bill "would take away" team membership and belonging from kids who rely on school sports for social support.
Committee members asked detailed questions about injury data, frequency of incidents in Colorado and enforcement mechanisms; witnesses disagreed about the scale of the problem and whether additional statewide rules would be enforceable without invasive checks.
After testimony and deliberation the committee took a recorded vote; the clerk reported that House Bill 26‑10‑83 failed on a vote of 8 to 3. Vice Chair Clifford moved to postpone the bill indefinitely; the motion was seconded and adopted without objection.
