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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
interscholastic; intramural athletics; biological sex
Purpose
Subject to voter approval, statutorily requires each athletic association that sponsors an interscholastic or intramural sport to designate each sport based on the sex of participating athletes beginning January 1, 2027. Prohibits, beginning January 1, 2027, a school or athletic association from authorizing an individual to use a provided restroom, locker room or other private space integral to athletic engagement that is not designated for the individual's sex. Designates this legislation as the Protecting Girls' Sports in Arizona Act.
Background
Each interscholastic or intramural athletic team or sport that is sponsored by a public or private school whose students or teams compete against a public school must be designated, based on the biological sex of participating students, as: 1) males, men or boys; 2) females, women or girls; and 3) coed or mixed. Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women or girls may not be open to students of the male sex, but any student may participate in an interscholastic or intramural athletic team or sport designated as being for males, men, boys or designated as coed or mixed.
A government entity, licensing organization, accrediting organization or
athletic association or organization may not entertain a complaint, open
investigation or take any other adverse action against a school for maintaining
separate interscholastic or intramural athletic teams or sports for students of
the female sex. Any student who is deprived of an athletic opportunity or
suffers harm as a result of a school knowingly violating the requirements
relating to the designation of athletic teams and sports based on biological
sex has a private cause of action against the school for injunctive relief,
damages and other available relief. Additionally, any student who is subject to
retaliation or another adverse action by a school or athletic association or organization
for reporting a violation of the outlined requirements has a private cause of
action against the school or athletic association or organization for
injunctive relief, damages and other available relief. All civil actions must
be initiated within two years after the alleged violation occurred (A.R.S.
§ 15-120.02).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires, beginning January 1, 2027, each athletic association that sponsors an interscholastic or intramural sport to expressly designate the interscholastic or intramural sport based on the sex of the athletes who participate in the sport.
2. Specifies that a school or athletic association may not open any interscholastic or intramural athletic team or sport that is designated for females, women or girls to athletes of the male sex.
3. Specifies that the requirements relating to the designation of interscholastic or intramural athletic teams or sports based on sex does not restrict an athlete from participating in a interscholastic or intramural athletic team or sport that is aligned with the athlete's sex or that is designated as coeducational, rather than designated as being for males, men or boys or designated as coed.
4. Prohibits, beginning January 1, 2027, if a school or athletic association provides and maintains restrooms, locker rooms, shower rooms or other private spaces that are integral to athletic engagement, the school, athletic association or employees of the school or athletic association from authorizing any individual to use a restroom, locker room, shower room or other private space that is not designated for the individual's sex.
5. Prohibits a government entity, licensing organization, accrediting organization or athletic association from entertaining a complaint, opening an investigation or taking other adverse action against an athletic association for maintaining separate interscholastic or intramural athletic teams or sports for athletes of the female sex.
6. Grants a private cause of action to an athlete who is deprived of athletic opportunity or suffers harm as specified against an athletic association that knowingly violates the requirements relating to the designation of interscholastic or intramural athletic teams or sports based on sex.
7. Defines athlete as an individual, including a student, who participates in any interscholastic or intramural athletic team or sport.
8. Defines athletic association as a league, corporation, association or organization that has a primary purpose of sponsoring or administering extracurricular athletic contests or competitions.
9. Defines sex as an individual's biological status as male or female as recorded at birth on the individual's original birth certificate.
10. Contains a severability clause.
11. Designates this legislation as the Protect Girls' Sports in Arizona Act.
12. Makes technical and conforming changes.
13. Requires the Secretary of State to submit the proposition to the voters at the next general election.
14. Becomes effective if approved by the voters and on proclamation of the Governor.
House Action
ED 1/20/26 DP 7-5-0-0
3rd Read 2/23/26 32-25-3
Prepared by Senate Research
March 9, 2026
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