SB 9 Pennsylvania Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act providing for sport activities in public institutions of higher education and public school entities to be expressly designated male, female or coed; and creating causes of action for harm suffered by designation.

SB 9 requires public schools and colleges in Pennsylvania to explicitly label athletic teams as "male," "female," or "coed" based on students' sex assigned at birth. It prohibits male students from participating on teams designated for females, directly affecting student-athletes and school athletic programs. The bill creates legal causes of action allowing students to sue institutions for denying athletic opportunities or causing harm due to violations, and protects schools from penalties for maintaining sex-segregated teams. It also permits schools to sue entities that unfairly target them for enforcing these designations, with all claims needing to be filed within two years of the harm.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Jul 2026
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Jul 1, 2026
Floor votes · Senate May 6, 2025

How they voted

3218
Passed
Total votes 50
May 6, 2025
D Democratic23
5 Yea 18 Nay
78% Nay
R Republican27
27 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
8
Committee
15
Jul 1, 2026
Committee
Re-referred to Health
lower
Jul 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
Re-reported with request to re-refer to Health
lower
Jun 15, 2026
Committee
Re-referred to Judiciary
lower
Jun 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported with request to re-refer to Judiciary
lower
Jun 2, 2026
Committee
Re-referred to Health
lower
Jun 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported with request to re-refer to Health
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Committee
Re-referred to Children & Youth
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported with request to re-refer to Children & Youth
lower
Oct 29, 2025
Committee
Re-referred to Judiciary
lower
Oct 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported with request to re-refer to Judiciary
lower
Jul 9, 2025
Committee
Re-referred to Health
lower
Jul 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported with request to re-refer to Health
lower
May 7, 2025
Committee
Referred to Education
lower
May 6, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
upper
Mar 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported as committed
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Committee
Referred to Education
upper
1 primary · 18 co-sponsors

Sponsors