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Read. Follow. Verify.Massachusetts Bill Prohibits Penalties for Public School Athletes and Coaches Refusing Mixed-Sex Sports Matches
Last action · April 22, 2025: Hearing scheduled for 05/06/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-2Sponsors: John Gaskey and 6 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Public school student-athletes on single-sex sports teams are newly allowed to refuse to participate in matches against teams including athletes of the opposite sex without facing school penalties such as lost playing time. Coaches and public schools are similarly protected from penalties for forfeiting such matches, though the forfeit may still be recorded as a loss.
Changes participation rules for public school athletic competitions across the state, ensuring that individual student-athletes and coaches cannot be disciplined by schools or athletic associations for opting out of mixed-sex matchups on s.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
public school student-athletes
Student-athletes on single-sex teams gain the right to refuse participation in matches against opposing teams including athletes of the opposite sex without facing school penalties.
coaches
Coaches are protected from school penalties when forfeiting matches against opposing teams that include athletes of the opposite sex.
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The department is barred from penalizing public schools, teams, coaches, or athletes who forfeit or refuse matches due to opposite-sex athletes.
Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
The association is prohibited from penalizing public schools, teams, coaches, or athletes for forfeiting or refusing matches due to opposite-sex athletes.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a student-athlete be benched for refusing to play against an opposite-sex athlete?
Can a forfeit resulting from refusing a match still be recorded as a loss?
Does this bill apply to co-ed sports teams?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
3 actions- Apr 22, 2025JointHearing scheduled for 05/06/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-2
- Feb 27, 2025SenateSenate concurred
- Feb 27, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to the committee on Education
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
malegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy85Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz70Current news / social attention level
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