Mary Czaja Felzkowski Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 12th district | Official Website
Mary Czaja Felzkowski Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 12th district | Official Website
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "designating University of Wisconsin and technical college sports and athletic teams based on the sex of the participants".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates that all University of Wisconsin institutions and technical colleges that manage or support intercollegiate or club athletic teams must categorize these teams based on the biological sex of participants as determined at birth and indicated on birth certificates. Teams must be labeled as either male or female, prohibiting male students from joining or using facilities designated for female teams. Further provisions allow female students adversely affected by these rules to seek legal action for relief or damages. Additionally, institutions that suffer repercussions from licensing or athletic organizations for adhering to these guidelines can also take legal action. The bill will apply from the first academic session following its effective date.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Senator Dan Feyen (Republican-20th District), Senator André Jacque (Republican-1st District), Senator Chris Kapenga (Republican-33rd District), Senator Steve L. Nass (Republican-11th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Scott Allen (Republican-82nd District), Representative David Armstrong (Republican-67th District), and Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), along 28 other co-sponsors.
Mary Felzkowski has authored another two bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Felzkowski graduated from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls in 1986 with a BS.
Felzkowski, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2021 to represent the state's 12th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Tom Tiffany.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB116 | 03/07/2025 | Designating University of Wisconsin and technical college sports and athletic teams based on the sex of the participants |
| SB98 | 03/07/2025 | Conversion of cooperative associations organized to establish and operate nonprofit plans or programs for health care into service insurance corporations |
| SB23 | 02/05/2025 | Extension of eligibility under the Medical Assistance program for postpartum women. (FE) |
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