Florida House passes bill banning transgender athletes from women's teams

Florida's state House passed has passed a bill banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports.

The "Fairness in Women's Sports Act" was passed Wednesday by the GOP-controlled chamber with just one vote from a Democratic member. The bill would require athletes to be placed on teams according to the gender at birth.

The state Senate has postponed a meeting on its version of the bill until at least next week, and a vote date has yet to be set, according to Politico.

"This is about giving women and girls an equal chance to succeed. It’s simple, it’s clear, I’ve reviewed it," said state GOP Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, according to Fox News.

Students who challenge the rule would be subjected to a medical examination by their school or institution of their choice to verify their biological sex. The exam will verify the student's reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup and testosterone levels, according to the bill's wording.

The law will apply to students k-12 and higher education.

Democratic lawmakers say the bill discriminate against transgender students.

"HB 1475 is purely political and it plays on the fears, and the ignorance about the transgender community in order to score partisan points," said state Democratic Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith.