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Steve Rhoads

Sponsor · State Senator, District 5 · Republican/Conservative

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Senate bill · S460 (2025-26)

Prohibits the commissioner from promulgating any rules or regulations which prevent schools from disallowing biological male students at birth to participate…

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Prohibits the commissioner from promulgating any rules or regulations which prevent schools from disallowing biological male students at birth to participate on a team organized for females

The heading above is this same sentence with its legal opening removed. No words were added, changed or reordered.

Latest action Jan 7, 2026

Summary

Prohibits the commissioner from promulgating any rules or regulations which prevent schools from disallowing biologically male students at birth to participate on a team organized for females where a school determines such biological male student's participation would have an adverse effect on the physical or emotional safety of female participants, or would adversely impact a female student's ability to participate successfully in interschool athletic competition.

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Where it stands

Out of committee and scheduled for a vote by the full chamber.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Up for a vote
  4. Passed one chamber
  5. Passed
  6. Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A8239, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the Education Law.

Committee

Education · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Education · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Prohibits the commissioner from promulgating any rules or regulations which prevent schools from disallowing biological male students at birth to participate on a team organized for females.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

  • Vote: Committee vote · Education

    Senate EducationMay 6, 2025Result: passed

    (8) (6) (0) (0)

The sponsor's argument

Why Steve Rhoads says this is needed

The commissioner of the Department of Education should not have the authority to dictate to school districts which students may participate in their sports teams. The decision of whether biologically male students should be allowed to play on female sports teams should be made by the individual school district, not the commissioner. Allowing biological males to participate and compete on teams designated for biological women may create an unfair competitive advantage while threatening the physical safety of biological female participants and the integrity of women's sports. It is a scientific fact that physiolog- ical differences between biological men and women in terms of testoster- one levels leads to biological men being able to perform with greater speeds and power during physical activity. Schools and parents know what is best for their students. Power should be granted to individual school districts to determine for themselves the level in which biological male students can participate in their sports teams to prevent unfair advantages and protect female sports.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

  1. Jan 7, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO EDUCATION

    NY Assembly

  2. Jan 7, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO EDUCATION

    NY Senate

  3. May 6, 2025

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO CODES

    NY Senate

  4. May 5, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO EDUCATION

    NY Assembly

  5. Mar 19, 2025

    In committee

    NOTICE OF COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION - REQUESTED

    NY Senate

Show full history (1 earlier event)
  1. Jan 8, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO EDUCATION

    NY Senate

About this record

Summary

The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.

Cosponsors

The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

Party colors

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Source

From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 3, 2026. About our data

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