Texas Gov. Abbott signs collegiate women's sports protections into law

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday signed into law a bill extending the Lone Star State's protections for women's sports to include collegiate athletics.

The state already barred biological men from competing in K-12 women's athletics, but the new law applies to institutions of higher education.

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Christiana Kiefer celebrated the bill's enaction, saying "[w]omen and girls deserve to compete on a level playing field at every grade level."

The organization represents numerous female athletes who have had to compete with biological men.

"Since the NCAA refuses to protect fairness for female athletes, states must ensure women in college have the same equal athletic opportunities that they were afforded in high school," she continued. "We commend Gov. Abbott, Rep. Valoree Swanson, Sen. Mayes Middleton, and the rest of the bill’s supporters in the Texas Legislature for taking this strong stand for Texas’ collegiate female athletes. Thanks to their leadership, women in Texas colleges will not be subjected to the devastating losses to men that female athletes in other parts of the country are experiencing."

At present, 22 states have enacted laws barring transgender individuals from participating on sports teams inconsistent with their sex, according to the pro-LGBT Movement Advancing Project. Most of these laws include K-12 bans, though some extend through collegiate programs.

Missouri was the most recent state to enact such a law when Gov. Mike Parson, R, signed the ban earlier this month.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.