LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) -Lawmakers in Lansing are wrapping up their first month of the new legislature. The chamber has introduced 35 bills that address topics like tipped wages, energy policy, and now gender regulations.
Two similar bills were introduced to the House this week. The first has been labeled the Female Athletics Integrity of Records, or FAIR Act. The bills would require any official awards, rankings, or records in sports to be categorized based on a person’s gender as it was assigned at birth. The second bill requires that educational institutions enforce restroom and changing room use based on biological sex.
The bills have already been called an attack on privacy and an attempt to erase the transgender community. House Democrats said even if the bills make it to the governor’s desk, they believe it’s unlikely she would sign them. Representative Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) said it’s notable that neither bill contains language detailing the process for verifying an athlete’s or student’s biological sex, potentially subjecting anyone under suspicion to undergo invasive and dehumanizing “gender checks.”
“It is only a couple weeks into the new 103rd Legislature and the Michigan GOP has already introduced hateful and divisive legislation,” Pohutsky said. “Frankly, both this anti-transgender legislation and President Trump’s executive order disgust me. We need to be building a world with more inclusivity and acceptance, not actively working to alienate certain individuals.”
One of the authors on the legislation, Representative Jamie Greene (R-Richmonod), said they are just doing what they believe is right to protect children in Michigan.
“We just earned genetically built different and so we need to have a fair and equal opportunity. There really is no penalty for this, I just want it to be fair.” Greene said. “Biological males have their own category. Biological females have their own category. If you identify as something else, you have your own category. Everybody is a winner in this.”
The bills don’t outline a required way to verify gender, the legislation would allow any group to pick the method that works best for them. The Michigan High School Athletic Association requires athletes to submit their birth certificate.
House Democrats have raised concerrns that the bills violate Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. Greene said the bill only requires individual records to be determined by gender, which woulde include sports like track, swim, or weight lifting, and because the language doesn’t include team sports it doesn’t violate ELCRA. Greene said her goal is to keep things fair and protect young kids in sports.
The bills have been sent to the House Committee on Education and Workforce where they wait for a hearing before the bills can see a vote in the full House.
