Steve Marshall Urges Congress to Add Women’s Sports Protections to College Sports Bill

Typographic header about Steve Marshall seeking women’s sports language in a college sports bill, with S. 4668 and a small WEIS logo.

MONTGOMERYAlabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joined 14 other state attorneys general in seeking women’s sports protections in a college sports bill.

His office announced the request Thursday, Sept. 24. In a letter to congressional leaders, the coalition backed language in an amendment to S. 4668, the Protect College Sports Act of 2026.

According to Marshall’s office, the proposed language would preserve states’ ability to enforce laws restricting males from women’s sports teams. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill co-led the letter with Marshall.

“In Alabama, we will not apologize for protecting opportunities that our female athletes have earned,” Marshall said in the release.

The attorneys general also argued that Congress should clarify states’ authority to enact such laws. Their letter says 27 states currently prohibit males from participating on women’s sports teams.

Meanwhile, the federal bill covers several other college athletics issues. Those include student-athletes’ name, image, and likeness rights, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The requested women’s sports language remains a proposal.

Attorneys general from Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana also signed the letter. The remaining signers represent North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah.

STATE NEWS 

Download the WEIS Radio app in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our text alerts here.