FRANKFORT, Ky. — A bill that would ban middle and high school transgender girls from playing girls sports is headed to Gov. Andy Beshear's desk. 

The measure would also ban transgender women from playing on any college sports teams designated as “women’s.” 

Supporters say the legislation is about fairness and ensuring a level playing field.

"An 18-year-old college freshman has the same right to a fair and level playing field as an 18-year-old high school senior," said Sen. Robby Mills (R, Henderson). "Currently, the NCAA no longer has a policy on transgenders. They basically abandoned their policy and have somewhat punted to each sport to determine that policy." 

Sen. Karen Berg (D, Louisville) and other opponents have argued that the bill will hurt children.  

"We have people in this room who are willing to take this issue up because they see it as a political positive for them, regardless of the harm that it will cause children in this state," she said. 

The Fairness Campaign is calling on Gov. Andy Beshear to veto the bill. 

"Shame on the Kentucky General Assembly for prioritizing discrimination against some of our state's most vulnerable youth," said Fairness Campaign Executive Director Chris Hartman in a statement released after the vote. "Now the only transgender girl we know currently playing sports in Kentucky schools, a 12-year-old seventh grader who started her middle school's field hockey team, will be denied the opportunity to play with her friends during her eighth grade year." 

Hartman was referring to Fischer Wells, a transgender girl in Jefferson County who testified before lawmakers in opposition to the bill.

"It's disgusting that this bill is even disgusted," she told lawmakers in a committee meeting last month. "I really don't want this bill to pass because that means I can't play and it will be extremely detrimental to my mental health as well because I know that sports is a great way for me to cope with things."

GOP-led states increasingly have adopted such prohibitions on transgender girls or women, though the culture war-related bans have been challenged in several states as violations of federal law. Republican governors in Utah and Indiana this week vetoed bans in their states.  

SENATE BILL 1

The Senate also gave final passage to Senate Bill 1 Thursday. It would give superintendents more control of the curriculum and hiring decisions. 

The bill includes language from Senate Bill 138, that would require certain documents like the Declaration of Independence and speeches by Frederick Douglass and Ronald Reagan to be included in middle and high school social studies standards.  

"I think it has the input from parents and educators and students to be able to get back to the American principles of what we need to be learning, learn from our mistakes, learn from atrocities," said Sen. Max Wise (R, Campbellsville). 

Sen. Whitney Westerfield (R, Crofton) voted against the bill because of the inclusion of language from Senate Bill 138. 

"Setting those documents in statute invites future General Assemblies to add to that list, to take away from that list and that precedent is something I’m afraid we’re going to regret," he said. 

If Beshear vetoes either of the bills, they likely have enough support to override a veto.