MADISON, WI – Earlier this year, Governor Evers declared 2025 the “Year of the Kid”, and the Wisconsin State Assembly has passed series of proposals to protect Wisconsin’s children.
“Children’s wellbeing was the priority on today’s agenda,” State Rep. Dave Armstrong (R-Rice Lake) said. “My Republican colleagues and I voted to preserve the integrity of school athletics, protect parents’ say over how schools address their children, prohibit gender transition medical intervention for minors, and curb children’s access to harmful online materials.”
Assembly Bill 100 forbids biologically male students from participating on female K12 sports teams. AB 100 recognizes that biological males – even those who transition – are typically larger, stronger and faster than biological females. “AB 100 promotes both fairness and safety,” Representative Armstrong said. (A similar bill, Assembly Bill 102, applies to UW and technical college sports.)
Assembly Bill 103 requires official school records to use only a student’s legal name, unless the student’s parents submit a written request to use another name (or, if at least 18, the student requests a change). Similarly, AB 103 prohibits school staff from calling students by names or pronouns that don’t align with the student’s biological sex, unless the parents allow it in writing. “Schools shouldn’t be going behind parents’ backs when it comes to their children’s gender identity,” Representative Armstrong said.
Assembly Bill 104 prohibits gender transition medical intervention for minors, with exceptions for certain medically verifiable conditions that make such treatment necessary. “Gender transition treatments or surgeries have lifelong consequences,” Representative Armstrong explained, “and studies suggest that most children with gender dysphoria grow out of it or have other mental health conditions that need more immediate treatment. Several European countries have prohibited or restricted ‘gender-affirming care’ because of negative outcomes.”
Assembly Bill 105 requires websites that offer material harmful to minors to use reasonable age verification methods to prevent minors from accessing the material. “Some states have already passed commonsense legislation like this,” Representative Armstrong said. “Wisconsin should take the problem just as seriously.”
These proposals will now go to the Senate for further consideration.
Last Update: Mar 21, 2025 9:48 am CDT
