**California Republicans Push Back Against Trans Inclusion in Sports**
Following California’s decision to reject President Donald Trump’s executive order prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports, state Republicans are taking action. On Friday, lawmakers introduced three bills in the state legislature aimed at limiting trans inclusion in athletics. One of the bills, introduced by Assemblymember Bill Essayli, specifically targets sports participation. It mandates that students utilize school facilities and join sports teams based solely on their biological sex, rather than their gender identity.
“We know the state of California will do everything possible to resist compliance with federal law, so it’s our responsibility to drive change at the state and local levels,” Essayli stated during a press conference outside the state capital in Sacramento.
At the same press conference, former San Jose State University volleyball coach, who was suspended and subsequently dismissed after filing a Title IX complaint regarding the school’s treatment of a transgender player, shared her concerns. Just days after her home was shot at—a situation she believes was targeted—Batie-Smoose emphasized the need for DNA testing and the importance of ensuring that only women compete in women’s sports. “We must continue this fight and advocate for legislative changes to create safe spaces for women in sports,” she asserted.
Essayli’s proposed legislation seeks to overturn California’s existing law that safeguards the rights of transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports. The law, known as AB 1266, has been in effect since 2014 and grants California students at both scholastic and collegiate levels the right to participate in sex-segregated programs and activities, including athletic teams, in accordance with their gender identity, regardless of the gender listed in their records.
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has stated it will continue to uphold this law, even in light of Trump’s executive order. Recently, the U.S. Department of Education announced it is launching a Title IX investigation into the CIF for potential violations due to its noncompliance with the executive order. Additionally, residents have organized protests and threatened legal action in response to the CIF’s current position.
This bill is the second proposal addressing this issue in California in 2025. On January 7, California State Assembly member Kate Sanchez announced her intention to introduce the Protect Girls’ Sports Act, which aims to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports. Currently, 25 states have enacted similar laws.
