Waukesha Times

The new bill authored by State Sen. Rob Hutton seeks to regulate sports team classifications in schools based on sex at birth, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "designating athletic sports and teams operated or sponsored by public schools or private schools participating in a parental choice program 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 school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in parental choice programs to classify interscholastic, intramural, and club sports based on participants' sex as determined at birth and noted on birth certificates. It prohibits male pupils from joining female-designated teams and using female locker rooms. The bill requires notification to pupils and parents if team designations change. Additionally, it provides legal recourse for female pupils deprived of competitive opportunities or facing retaliation for reporting violations, allowing them to seek injunctive relief and damages. Schools suffering harm for complying may also pursue legal action.

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.

Rob Hutton has authored or co-authored another 20 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Hutton graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1990 with a BA.

Hutton, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2023 to represent the state's 5th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Dale Kooyenga.

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
SB117	03/07/2025	Designating athletic sports and teams operated or sponsored by public schools or private schools participating in a parental choice program based on the sex of the participants
SB116	03/07/2025	Designating University of Wisconsin and technical college sports and athletic teams based on the sex of the participants
SB115	03/07/2025	Department of Justice collection and reporting of certain criminal case data. (FE)
SB105	03/07/2025	Jailers and protective occupation annuitants in the Wisconsin Retirement System who are rehired by a participating employer. (FE)
SB98	03/07/2025	Conversion of cooperative associations organized to establish and operate nonprofit plans or programs for health care into service insurance corporations
SB93	03/07/2025	Recommendation to revoke extended supervision, parole, or probation if a person is charged with a crime. (FE)
SB92	03/07/2025	Theft crimes and providing a penalty. (FE)
SB76	02/26/2025	Dismissing or amending certain criminal charges and deferred prosecution agreements for certain crimes
SB38	02/12/2025	Personalized registration plate fees for gold star family special registration plates. (FE)
SB25	02/05/2025	Court-issued criminal complaints in officer-involved deaths