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House Judiciary Committee votes to refer three student-athlete bills to Health Committee after heated debate
Summary
After debate over jurisdiction and a recent Supreme Court ruling, the House Judiciary Committee voted 14–12 to send House Bill 158, House Bill 1849 and Senate Bill 9 to the Health Committee for further review rather than taking them up on the merits.
The House Judiciary Committee voted to refer House Bill 158, House Bill 1849 and Senate Bill 9 to the Health Committee following a divided roll-call vote that the secretary recorded as 14 yes to 12 no.
Chairman Kaufman urged members not to re-refer the bills and to “vote on the merits,” saying a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision (cited in committee as B.P.J. v. West Virginia) addressed constitutional objections and provided “clear guidance on the legal issues.”
Representative Pew told colleagues the Judiciary Committee was the appropriate forum to consider legal standards in the bills, arguing the measures “establish legal standards, create legal rights and remedies, and provide for enforcement under Pennsylvania law” and that repeated re-referrals prevent the committee from carrying out its assigned responsibility.
Representative Cooper likewise opposed further delay, saying the Supreme Court’s ruling removed an excuse for postponement and that roughly 20 Pennsylvania school districts that have adopted policies need a statewide standard. Representative Haim urged members to put the bills up for a vote, framing the issue as protecting girls’ athletic opportunities.
Representative Kenyatta argued for re-referral, saying Pennsylvania lacks the budget context of states cited by supporters and that “there is very little data that backs up the reality of what’s happening here,” and recommended Health Committee review to gather more information.
The secretary conducted a roll-call vote after debate. The committee chair announced that the motion to refer HB 158, HB 1849 and SB 9 to the Health Committee passed and the measures will move to that committee for further consideration.
The committee did not take up the bills on their merits; next steps are committee-level consideration in Health, where hearings or further staff analysis may be scheduled.
