The policy has been rejected twice in the past month – but a new identical anti-transgender bill, H.4153, has been proposed and will be heard by the House Special Laws subcommittee on Thursday, April 8.

The vote to halt the discriminatory bill in the House is a win for transgender students and the hundreds of South Carolinians who have mobilized to support trans youth this year.

The egregiously dangerous bill, H.4047, proposes imprisoning trans-affirming medical providers for up to 20 years. It also requires school teachers, counselors, and nurses to “out” transgender youth to their parents.

Powerful testimony against H3477 was shared by educators, business owners, medical providers, advocates, parents, trans youth, the SC Superintendent of Education, and more. The bill heads to the full House Judiciary Committee.

“The High School League has handled this situation. It’s a very sensitive, personal situation that needs to be handled individually. And this is not something that we need to legislate from Columbia. I ask you to please not pass this legislation.”

Parents, medical providers, advocates, business leaders, educators, and transgender students delivered testimony against H3477, which would exclude transgender students from participating in middle and high school sports.

“I ask that lawmakers trust our professional experience when we underline how vital it is to include, affirm, and respect transgender students for who they are – not exclude them.”

“Every student should be able to access the opportunities and lessons of school athletics. To categorically deny transgender students the freedom to play alongside their peers is completely at odds with lawmakers’ duties to care for and protect our youth.”