The Family Foundation and several Kentucky legislators have joined letters to Senator Cruz (TX) and Senator Schmitt (MO) about the Save College Sports Act, proposed legislation that would create federal government regulations over college sports. In reviewing the legislation, our allies at Alliance Defending Freedom noticed a potential weakness in the initial draft language, which threatened to invalidate state Save Women’s Sports Laws, passed in Kentucky and over 25 additional states.
The letters explained the issue by saying this:
“Section 113 of the PCSA sets out baseline conditions for student-athlete eligibility, and Section 121(a) bars states from adopting or maintaining any law “relating to the eligibility” of student athletes under those provisions. Because many state women’s sports laws are structured as eligibility rules — declaring that males are not eligible for women’s teams — our organizations are deeply concerned that Section 121’s broad preemption language could unintentionally impact those state laws.”
Our letters, which were drafted in cooperation with our allied state Family Policy Councils and Alliance Defending Freedom, urged Senators Cruz and Schmitt to make a minor tweak to the language to ensure that state Save Women’s Sports Laws were no longer at risk. The letter concluded by stating, “Our organizations are on the ground in state capitols every session, working alongside lawmakers, coaches, parents, and athletes to defend the gains women have made in competitive sports. We urge you to ensure the Protect College Sports Act strengthens — rather than jeopardizes — those protections.”
Thankfully, our voices were heard! It has been announced today that Sen. Cruz and Sen. Schmitt have agreed to include the needed language to clarify that the Save College Sports Act does not preempt state laws protecting women’s sports. While TFF does not have a position on the overarching bill, we are grateful that the language no longer threatens the years of progress protecting female athletes in Kentucky and across the nation.