HB 23-1098

HB 23-1098, also known as the Women's Rights in Athletics bill, requires that all college and high school sports teams be designated either male, female, or coeducational based on a student’s biological sex at birth. This means that athletes can only join teams that match their sex at birth, not their gender identity. The law protects schools and institutions from legal consequences if they follow this rule and allows students to sue for damages if the rules are violated or if they face retaliation for reporting violations. Since it has been signed into law, all relevant educational institutions in Colorado must now comply with these regulations regarding athletic teams.

Official Summary

The bill requires any intercollegiate, interscholastic, intramural, or club athletic team, sport, or athletic event to be designated as one of the following, based on the biological sex at birth of the participating students: Male, female, or coeducational. Male and female athletes may only participate on teams designated to their respective sexes. The bill prohibits a governmental entity from investigating a complaint or taking any adverse action against a public school, school district, activities association or organization, institution of higher education, or any employee or governing board member for complying with the bill. The bill creates a cause of action for a student, school, or institution that suffers harm as a result of noncompliance with the bill. There is also a cause of action for a student who suffers retaliation for reporting violations of the bill. The statutes of limitations for the causes of action are 2 years and a prevailing party is entitled to reasonable attorney fees. The attorney general is required to provide legal representation to a school, school district, association, or institution of higher education that is sued for complying with the bill. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)