Text of WY HB 274 (2025)

2025 STATE OF WYOMING 25LSO-0397 1 HB0274 HOUSE BILL NO. HB0274 Biological males in women's sports. Sponsored by: Representative(s) Rodriguez-Williams, Bear, Heiner, Knapp, Lucas and Webber and Senator(s) Hutchings and Ide A BILL for 1 AN ACT relating to school sports; amending the prohibition 2 on students of the male sex from competing on a team 3 designated for students of the female sex to include 4 institutions of higher education; providing whistleblower 5 protections; providing for a cause of action; removing 6 governmental immunity as specified; repealing alternate 7 procedures for determining student eligibility; making 8 conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date. 9 10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming: 11 12 Section 1. W.S. 1-39-124 is created to read: 13 14 1-39-124. Liability; female sports. 15 2025 STATE OF WYOMING 25LSO-0397 2 HB0274 1 A governmental entity is liable for damages resulting from 2 a violation of W.S. 21-25-102 caused by the negligent, 3 reckless or intentional acts of public employees while 4 acting within the scope of their duties. 5 6 Section 2. W.S. 21-25-101(a)(ii) and (iii) and 7 21-25-102(e)(i), (ii) and by creating new subsections (g) 8 through (k) are amended to read: 9 10 21-25-101. Definitions. 11 12 (a) As used in this chapter: 13 14 (ii) "Interscholastic athletic activity" means 15 that a student represents the student's school in a Wyoming 16 high school activities association sanctioned sport or a 17 sport played at the collegiate level for which eligibility 18 requirements for participation by a student athlete are 19 established by a national association for the promotion or 20 regulation of collegiate athletics; 21 22 (iii) "School" means a school consisting of 23 grades seven (7) through 12 (twelve), or any combination of 2025 STATE OF WYOMING 25LSO-0397 3 HB0274 1 grades within this range, as determined by the plan of 2 organization by the school district board of trustees and 3 any institution of higher education; 4 5 21-25-102. Participation in school athletic 6 activities. 7 8 (e) A government entity, any licensing or any 9 athletic association shall not retaliate or take any 10 adverse action against: 11 12 (i) A school for maintaining separate athletic 13 teams or sports for students of the female sex; or 14 15 (ii) A student if the student or the parent or 16 guardian of a student requests a contested case pursuant to 17 subsection (f) of this section or that reports a violation 18 of this section to an employee or representative of the 19 school or athletic association or files an action for 20 damages pursuant to subsection (h) of this section. 21 22 (g) No government entity, any licensing or any 23 athletic association shall discharge or in any manner 2025 STATE OF WYOMING 25LSO-0397 4 HB0274 1 discriminate against any employee because the employee has 2 instituted, or caused to be instituted, any proceeding 3 under or related to this section or has testified or is 4 about to testify in any proceeding, or because of the 5 exercise by the employee on behalf of himself or others any 6 right afforded by this section. 7 8 (h) Any student or a parent or guardian of a student 9 who is harmed by a violation of this chapter shall have a 10 private cause of action for injunctive relief, damages, 11 attorney fees and any other relief available under law 12 against the school, government entity, licensing or 13 accrediting organization, athletic association or athletic 14 organization violating this chapter. 15 16 (j) Any school that suffers any direct or indirect 17 harm as a result of a violation of this chapter shall have 18 a private cause of action for injunctive relief, damages, 19 attorney fees and any other relief available under law 20 against the government entity, licensing or accrediting 21 organization, athletic association or athletic organization 22 violating this chapter. 23 2025 STATE OF WYOMING 25LSO-0397 5 HB0274 1 (k) A civil action commenced under subsections (h) or 2 (j) of this section shall be brought not later than three 3 (3) years after the violation of this chapter occurred. 4 5 Section 3. W.S. 16-4-405(a)(xiii) and 21-25-201 6 through 21-25-204 are repealed. 7 8 Section 4. This act is effective July 1, 2025. 9 10 (END)