South Carolina Senate discusses transgender bill

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — After nearly two years of work, supporters of a bill that would ban transgender students from playing girls’ and women’s sports in South Carolina high schools and public colleges have gotten a proposal out of committee.

But the bill as written — especially including colleges and private schools — didn’t appear to have enthusiastic support among Republicans in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.

“This bill here is not ready for prime time. It’s just not ready. We don’t have an idea how the universities are going to be affected. We don’t have any idea how the private schools are going to be affected,” Senate Education Committee Chairman Greg Hembree said.

The bill would require athletes to compete with the gender listed on their birth certificates.