The Tennessee Equal Opportunities for Girls Sports Act (SB 1327/HB 1276), introduced by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Raumesh Akbari and House Minority Leader Rep. Karen Camper, is set to be heard in the Senate soon. This legislation aims to address disparities in school athletics by ensuring that girls in Tennessee receive equal funding, facilities, and resources.
Currently, Tennessee has laws restricting participation in girls’ sports but lacks any that guarantee equal funding, coaching, and opportunities for female athletes. Research from the Women’s Sports Foundation indicates that girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys, often due to a lack of resources, limited access to facilities, and inadequate coaching support. According to the latest NFHS High School Participation Survey, 73,608 boys participate in high school athletics in Tennessee, compared to only 43,189 girls.
“If we’re serious about protecting women’s sports, we need to put our money where our mouth is,” said Sen. Akbari. “Right now, girls in Tennessee face significant disadvantages in athletics — not because of who’s on the field, but because of what’s missing: funding, facilities and support. This bill begins to fix it.”
If passed, the bill would allocate state funding to ensure that female athletes have equal access to practice and competition facilities, as well as funding for equipment, uniforms, and training resources. It would also ensure fair compensation for coaches of girls’ teams, provide financial support for travel accommodations and per diem allowances, and promote girls’ sports to increase participation and visibility.
To enforce these provisions, the bill establishes a complaint process allowing female athletes or their parents to report disparities to the Tennessee Department of Education, which would be required to investigate and allocate funds to correct the issue. Additionally, local school districts would need to report participation rates and funding levels for boys’ and girls’ sports to ensure compliance with the law.
This legislation could have a significant impact on the opportunities available to female athletes in Tennessee schools, ensuring that they receive the resources and support necessary to compete on an equal playing field.
