BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 370

By: Swanson

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The author of the bill has informed the committee that the 87th Texas Legislature passed the Save Girls' Sports Act, which prohibited biological males from competing in interscholastic athletics competitions designated as female-only, that this prohibition was later extended to Texas collegiate athletics by the 88th Texas Legislature's passage of the Save Women's Sports Act, but that there are still professional sporting events in Texas that are allowing biological men to unfairly and illogically compete against women in sports they are supposed to call their own. H.B. 370 seeks to ensure that these events are not funded or supported by Texans' taxpayer dollars by barring any event that allows a biological male to compete in women's sports from receiving any funding from the major events reimbursement program.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 370 amends the law to make an event ineligible for funding under the major events reimbursement program if the event allows for a biological male to compete in a sport designated by rule or procedure for female athletes. The bill expressly does not prohibit biological males from acting as coaches, support staff, or other necessary personnel who are not actively competing in such a designated sport. The bill establishes that, for purposes of its provisions, an athlete's status as a biological male is determined by the biological sex correctly stated on the athlete's official birth certificate, or, if the athlete's official birth certificate is unobtainable, another government record that accurately states the athlete's biological sex. A statement of an athlete's biological sex on the athlete's official birth certificate is considered to have correctly stated the athlete's biological sex only if the statement was entered at or near the time of the athlete's birth or modified to correct a scrivener or clerical error in the student's biological sex.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.