Thread by @oliviakrauth

Hello from the Senate Education Committee! This is the most filled I’ve seen a committee room in a long time.

Several are here for the vote on Senate Bill 83, which would bar trans girls from girls sports teams. #KYGA22

Here's the full agenda. If there have been any changes to the lineup, I haven't seen them. #KYGA22

https://twitter.com/oliviakrauth/status/1491429704582467588

Please know this is hottest room I remember being in anywhere in the Capitol Annex, so if I pass out, let me go.

And away we go.

Sen. Max Wise, the chair, is reminding the crowd there is a standing rule against props and posters.

People are being turned away at the door and sent to an overflow room. #KYGA22

State School Security Marshal Ben Wilcox is updating the committee on Kentucky’s progress on the state’s 2019 school security law.

“Schools are safer now than they were two years ago,” he says.

Moving into bills on the agenda.

SB 120, which deals with districts creating police departments, is being passed over.

SB 102, which requires schools to report info about how many mental health providers they have to KDE, is up first.

And SB 102 quickly passes.

Time for the final bill: SB 83.

courier-journal.com/story/news/pol…

Sen. Robby Mills, the bill’s sponsor, is giving introductory remarks.

There is a committee sub on the bill that isn’t posted online and I haven’t seen. 🙃

Mills says he believes there are flaws in existing KHSAA policy that could allow transgender girls to "unfairly" compete on girls teams.

KHSAA policy requires students to undergo sex reassignment before competing on the team aligned with their gender identity.

The initial bill does not say what constitutes a member of the male sex or how that would be checked.

It sounds like the committee sub would require students to participate on the team aligned with the sex written on their birth certificate.

Mills says he does not have evidence of any related incidents in Kentucky, but he says some parents are concerned.

SB 83 is "thinking ahead," he says.

Sen. Reggie Thomas is asking if he knows of any problems related to transgender athletes in KY.

Mills says again he is not aware of any.

"But I do think that it is coming," Mills says.

Time for testimony.

There is one supporter: David Walls, the executive director of the conservative Family Foundation.

He says this should be extended to cover both K-12 and college athletes.

Walls and Mills have pointed out a few incidents nationally of trans girls winning races and games.

Again, Mills said he hasn't heard of any issues in Kentucky.

Sen. Thomas again asks if Walls knows of any issues in Kentucky on this front.

Walls says he isn't aware of a specific incident.

The questioning seemed to shift to if Walls knew of any complaints about the fairness of KHSAA's policy on transgender athletes.

Walls says yes (that's kind of the point of the entire bill, in supporters' eyes).

Now, the opponents.

First is JCPS board member James Craig.

We don’t know how many students identify as transgender, he says.

But we do know sports play a critical a role in students’ belonging, likely hindering their achievement.

Sen. Stephen Meredith says students would still be able to participate in sports, but just on a different team.

"Are we truly discriminating?"

Craig: To ask a trans student to participate on a team not aligned with their gender identity is "traumatizing."

The bill lets them play on other teams, Craig says, but it "practically means they will not."

There are still several people signed up to speak, including a few families. There are 25 minutes left in the meeting — I'm not sure if they will allow everyone to speak.

Reps from the ACLU of KY and Fairness Campaign are speaking now.

ACLU's Jackie McGranahan: "There are real issues with gender parity in sports...Promoting baseless fears about trans athletes does nothing to address these problems."

There are "few" trans kids who play sports after middle school, Fairness Campaign's Chris Hartman says.

Current KHSAA policy limits HS trans girls from being on girls teams, he says.

This bill would still hurt younger trans girls who want to play sports, he says.

Now, JCPS student Fischer, who is trans, and her parents are talking about her time playing field hockey.

“We’ve lost a lot of games,” she says, joking.

She talks about the friends and sportsmanship skills she’s gained from being on the team.

Sitting in front of lawmakers, Fischer confidently says, "It's disgusting that this bill is even suggested."

I've practiced so many hours, she says, and she wants to play in eighth grade.

Fischer's mom, Jenifer, says she is not a good athlete.

There is no evidence of a biological advantage in her athletic career, her dad, Brian, says.

She's a good teammate and allowed the team to have enough players to actually get to play, Brian says.

Rae and her daughter Cedar are now at the mic.

She enjoys playing ninja and started a rock club at school.

She also enjoys playing soccer, even though Rae says she is small for her age and one of her friends makes more goals.

Earlier in the meeting, Rae asked if Cedar would want to play on a girls or boys team.

She said girls, because she's a girl.

What if the only way to play on the team was to be on the boys team, Rae asked?

Cedar said no.

Wise called for the vote before Cedar had gotten up from her seat at the mic.

Minutes after hearing from trans student-athletes and their families who will be directly impacted by the bill, the Senate Education Committee passes SB 83 on a 9-3 vote.

It now heads to the full Senate. #KYGA22

Meanwhile, Sen. Mills is nowhere to be found for questions.