WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) offered an amendment to the Protect College Sports Act alongside Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) that would prevent the legislation from preempting state laws protecting women’s sports.
Indiana has enacted protections for female athletes at every level of education. In 2022, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation to prohibit biological males from competing in girls’ K-12 sports. In 2025, Governor Mike Braun signed a second law extending those protections to women’s collegiate athletics.
The senators’ amendment would ensure that Indiana and other states’ laws cannot be weakened or overridden by the federal government.
Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said, “Indiana has one of the strongest laws in the country that keeps biological men from competing in women’s sports. As a father of three daughters, I can’t support any legislation that would preempt Indiana’s law. This amendment would make sure the Protect College Sports Act protects female athletes.”
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) said, Biological men should never be allowed in women’s sports or women’s locker rooms. We’ve got to make sure state laws protecting women stand.”
Sen. Tommy Tubberville (R-Ala.) said, “Protecting girls and women’s sports is the civil issue of our time. Democrats have proven again and again they don’t give a rip about protecting women from mentally ill men who wake up one day and decide to dress like a girl. I’m proud to stand with Senators Hawley and Banks in introducing this commonsense amendment to protect millions of female student athletes.”
Read the amendment text here.
