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Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland Senate Bill 50 requires public and competing nonpublic high school sports teams to be designated by biological sex and allows civil suits for violations
Last action · January 29, 2026: Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.Sponsors: Mary Beth Carozza and 1 other
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What This Bill Would Do
Maryland Senate Bill 50 requires public high schools and competing nonpublic high schools to designate all junior varsity and varsity sports teams as male, female, or coeducational, and prohibits male students from participating on female-designated teams, effective July 1, 2026.
The measure establishes a legal right for students to file civil lawsuits against schools or athletic associations if they lose an athletic opportunity due to policy violations or face retaliation for reporting violations.
- Senate Bill 50 was pre-filed for the 2026 Regular Session of the Maryland General Assembly. context
- Similar legislation regarding sports designations based on biological sex has been proposed or enacted in multiple states across the United States. context
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 high schools
Public high schools must designate all athletic teams by biological sex, restrict female teams from including male students, and face potential civil lawsuits for violations.
Nonpublic high schools competing against public high schools
Nonpublic high schools that compete against public schools must also comply with the biological sex team designation requirements and face liability for noncompliance.
Student athletes
Student athletes are assigned to specific team categories based on biological sex and gain the right to bring civil actions for denied opportunities or retaliation.
Key Facts
- Public high schools and competing nonpublic high schools must explicitly designate every interscholastic and intramural junior varsity and varsity team as male, female, or coeducational.
- Athletic teams or sports designated for females, girls, or women are prohibited from including students whose biological sex is male.
- Governmental entities, licensing or accrediting organizations, and athletic associations are barred from investigating or penalizing schools for maintaining separate female athletic teams.
- Students deprived of an athletic opportunity or harmed by a violation may file a civil action against their school.
Show all 6 facts
- Students who face retaliation or adverse action for reporting a violation may file a civil action against the school or athletic association.
- The legislation is officially designated as the Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act and takes effect on July 1, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which schools are required to follow these team designation rules?
What legal options do students have if a violation occurs?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently filed. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Jan 29, 2026SenateHearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.
- Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
- Oct 8, 2025SenateIntroducedPre-filed
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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Mandatory Biological Sex Categorization in High School Sports
Senate Bill 50 introduces statutory mandates for categorizing all high school junior varsity and varsity sports by biological sex and authorizes civil litigation for enforcement.
Connected Entities
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy85Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz65Current news / social attention level
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