Today, the South Dakota State Senate voted 20-15 to pass a bill which would prohibit biological males from competing in women’s sports. The bill had previously passed the state House of Representatives 50-17 and now heads to the desk of Gov. Kristi Noem (R), who announced shortly after the bill’s passage that she will sign it.

South Dakota will become the second state to enact legislation protecting women’s sports, and is among 27 states where such legislation has been introduced so far.

In response, Terry Schilling, executive director of American Principles Project (APP), released the following statement praising Gov. Noem and South Dakota lawmakers:

“It is no exaggeration to say that women’s sports are more endangered now than at any point in our lifetimes, thanks to the actions of Joe Biden and Democrats in Washington. Fortunately, brave leaders are beginning to step forward in defense of female athletes — leaders like Gov. Kristi Noem.

“Today, Gov. Noem and South Dakota lawmakers have sent a clear message: in their state, protecting equal opportunity and a fair playing field is more important than surrendering to a radical, left-wing ideology that seeks to erase biological reality. APP commends Gov. Noem for taking a strong stand on this issue, and we encourage other states to follow South Dakota’s example.”

Two weeks ago at CPAC, Terry Schilling led a panel discussion on women’s sports with the sponsor of South Dakota’s House bill, State Rep. Rhonda Milstead (R), as well as collegiate student athlete Linnea Saltz. You can watch their full discussion here.

To schedule an interview with an APP policy expert, contact Paul Dupont at (o) 202-503-2010 or pdupont@americanprinciplesproject.org.