North Carolina becomes latest state to pass bill banning trans athletes from girls' sports teams

Chad Pergram reports on the Republican bill that protects women from competing against transgender athletes in sports.

The North Carolina House on Wednesday passed legislation that would prohibit biological males who identify as female from playing on girls' sports teams in middle school, high school and college.

Lawmakers easily approved the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, which would require athletes to play on teams that match their sex as determined by "reproductive biology and genetics at birth," by a 73-39 vote, with three Democrats supporting the measure.

Republican state Rep. Tricia Cotham, who recently gave the GOP a veto-proof supermajority by announcing a high-profile defection from the Democratic Party, also voted in favor of the bill.

The legislation now moves to the state Senate, which is considering its own version of the same bill and also has a Republican supermajority. The state Senate could vote on its bill, which currently doesn't impact college athletics, as soon as Thursday.

STATES ADVANCE BILLS PROTECTING GIRLS' SPORTS AS BIDEN SAYS NO AT FEDERAL LEVEL

Demonstrators listen to the speaking program during an "Our Bodies, Our Sports" rally for the 50th anniversary of Title IX at Freedom Plaza on June 23, 2022 in Washington, D.C. The rally, organized by multiple athletic women's groups was held to call on U.S. President Joe Biden to put restrictions on transgender females and "advocate to keep women's sports female." (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

North Carolina currently allows transgender athletes to play sports based on their gender identity, although students who wish to do so must undergo a process that includes providing medical information.

Proponents of the latest bill argue they seek