Lawmaker explains why Okla. Senate didn't hear bill to ban transgender girls from girls sports teams
The state House of Representatives passed a bill this session that tried to block transgender women and girls from playing on women's and girls sports teams; however, the legislation wasn't heard by the state Senate.
Gov. Kevin Stitt said he at least was favorable of the idea of Senate Bill 2. With Oklahoma's legislative session finally over, the state's top Republican senator explained why the bill was never heard by the Senate.
"I haven't seen the problem in Oklahoma," said state Sen. Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City. "The anecdotal stories that have been told to me have been about club sports – so, youth soccer. That's really the only example that's really been brought to me from Oklahoma."
Treat said the bill wouldn't have affected those types of sports anyway. It sought to ban transgender women and girls from playing on female school sports teams.
"I've looked at the OSSAA rules and the NCAA rules. They seem to be adequate protecting sports," Treat said. "You have to have a year of hormone treatment in order to compete at the high school level and at the college level."
Related Video Above: NCAA ready to pull events from states that don't support transgender athletes
Apart from that, the NCAA implied it could pull championships from states with anti-transgender laws. So, there were fears that Oklahoma City's hosting of the Women's College World Series could be at risk.
Some states have passed similar laws. They're expected to face legal challenges.
In Oklahoma, it's not the end of the debate.
"I just think in Oklahoma, at least right now, it was a solution in search of a problem today," Treat said.
The bill is eligible to be heard by the state Senate when it comes back next year.