The Mississippi House passed a bill Wednesday banning transgender athletes from playing on girls or women's sports teams in the state's schools and universities.
Republican Governor Tate Reeves is expected to sign the bill into law in the next couple of days. Mississippi is among more than 20 states across the country considering restrictions on athletics or gender-affirming health care for transgender minors in 2021.
According to The Associated Press, Republican Representative Becky Currie shared a text with her colleagues explaining the bill, saying "girls deserve to compete on a level playing field.