South Carolina House Bill H4915

South Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/14/26
• Refer: 1/14/26

Caption

A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO CALL ON CONGRESS TO REAFFIRM TITLE IX'S PROTECTIONS THAT AFFORD EVERY WOMAN AND GIRL EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN ATHLETICS AND TO URGE THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES TO UPHOLD THE AUTHORITY OF EVERY STATE TO ENSURE WOMEN'S SPORTS ARE RESERVED FOR FEMALES ONLY.

Summary

H4915 is a House resolution expressing the South Carolina House’s support for sex-segregated women’s athletics and urging federal and judicial action to preserve that framework. The resolution calls on Congress to reaffirm Title IX protections for girls and women in sports and asks the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold each state’s authority to reserve women’s sports for females only. The resolution is largely declaratory and does not itself change South Carolina law. Instead, it communicates the House’s position on Title IX, women’s athletics, and access to female-only spaces such as locker rooms, restrooms, changing areas, and overnight accommodations. It also directs that copies be sent to South Carolina’s congressional delegation and the Clerk of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Impact

Because H4915 is a resolution rather than a bill creating or amending statutes, its direct legal effect is limited. It does not alter the South Carolina Code, create enforcement mechanisms, or impose new duties on schools or athletic associations. Its practical impact is political and symbolic: it reinforces South Carolina’s existing policy direction on women’s sports and seeks to influence federal lawmakers and the courts regarding Title IX interpretation and state authority over sex-based athletic eligibility.

Sentiment

The sentiment reflected in the resolution is strongly supportive of women’s sports being limited to biological females, and the bill text presents that position as a matter of fairness, safety, privacy, and equal opportunity. The absence of committee transcripts or recorded votes means there is no additional documented debate in the provided materials, but the resolution itself shows clear alignment with advocates of sex-based athletic categories and with South Carolina’s prior enactment of the Save Women’s Sports Act.

Contention

The main point of contention is the treatment of transgender athletes, especially whether athletes should be allowed to compete based on gender identity rather than biological sex. Supporters of the resolution argue that allowing males to compete in women’s sports undermines fairness, creates safety risks, and compromises privacy in female-only spaces. Opponents would likely argue that such restrictions are discriminatory and conflict with broader civil-rights protections and inclusion goals. The resolution also implicitly contests federal interpretations of Title IX and asks the Supreme Court to preserve state authority in this area.