Missouri joined a growing list of states that have taken legislative action to set guidelines on sports participation. In an effort that Governor Mike Parson described as a step to protect the integrity of female sports and Missouri children from potentially harmful experimental surgeries and treatment, Parson signed Senate Bill 39 into law.
“We appreciate Senator Holly Rehder for leading on this issue and fighting for women and girls across the state. We, along with the vast majority of the General Assembly, agree that women and girls deserve fair sports competition without intrusion from biological men,” Parson said. “Women and girls deserve and have fought for an equal opportunity to succeed, and with this legislation today, we stand up to the nonsense and stand with them as they take back their sport competitions. In Missouri, we support real fairness, not injustice disguised as social righteousness.”
The bill’s summary reads:
“This act prohibits a private school, public school district, public charter school, or public or private institution of postsecondary education from allowing any student to compete in an athletic competition that is designated for the biological sex opposite to the student’s biological sex as stated on the student’s official birth certificate or other government record as described in the act. The act delineates what constitutes an acceptable official birth certificate. A private school, public school district, public charter school, or public or private institution of postsecondary education may allow a female student to compete in an athletic competition designated for male students if no corresponding competition for female students is offered or available. Any private school, public school district, public charter school, or public or private institution of postsecondary education that violates this act shall not receive any state aid or other revenues from the state. The parent or guardian of any student, or any student who is over eighteen years old, who is deprived of an athletic opportunity as a result of a violation of the act shall have a cause of action for injunctive or other equitable relief as described in the act.”
Since 2004, O’Hern has worked with political campaigns in roles ranging from major projects involving nationwide digital marketing for U.S. Presidential candidates, U.S. Congressmen, state governors, and state representatives. O’Hern’s journalism background includes news reporting and editing for various organizations and news publications in Alabama and Florida since 2002. O’Hern graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala with a degree in journalism and a minor in political science.