Honoring the Orrville Public Library on its Centennial.

136th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Meredith Craig

The resolution urges MHSAA to revise eligibility rules to align with Executive Order 14201, prioritizing female athlete protection and potential federal funding implications.

Adopted

Purpose / Intent

This resolution urges the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) to promptly align its athlete eligibility rules with Executive Order 14201. The stated aims are to “preserve the integrity of competition and the safety of our female athletes” by discouraging male competitive participation in women’s athletics and encouraging policies consistent with the cited Executive Order and recent NCAA changes.

Key provisions

Strongly encourages the MHSAA to revise its eligibility rules so they conform with Executive Order 14201, which the resolution characterizes as a federal policy opposing male participation in women’s athletics and directing prioritized Title IX enforcement against institutions that require female students to compete with or against males.

References the NCAA’s policy changes limiting competition in women’s sports to student athletes “assigned female at birth” as a model or precedent.

Warns that continued noncompliance with Executive Order 14201 could jeopardize federal funding to school districts.

Directs that copies of the resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the U.S. House, the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, and the Executive Director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

Who would be affected

Michigan High School Athletic Association: primary target of the request to change eligibility policy.

Michigan high school athletes: notably female athletes (framed by the resolution as beneficiaries of increased safety/fairness) and student athletes who are transgender or were assigned male at birth (who would be directly affected if eligibility rules were tightened).

Michigan school districts and athletic programs: potentially implicated if federal funding issues arise under the interpretation advanced in the resolution.

Legal and procedural character / Potential impact

The resolution is non‑binding and advisory; it does not itself change law or MHSAA rules. It expresses the legislature’s position and exerts political pressure on a non‑legislative sports governing body.

If the MHSAA were to change eligibility rules in response, that could prompt legal and policy debates involving Title IX, state athletic regulation, and the rights and participation of transgender student‑athletes.

The resolution frames potential federal funding risk as a leverage point, though actual funding consequences would depend on federal enforcement actions and legal determinations.

Sponsors / Origination

Introduced/offered by a group of state House members (listed in the resolution documents). Procedural records indicate it was read, amended in some committee steps, placed on calendars, and ultimately adopted by the House.

Note: The text and legislative history supplied with this request include multiple different documents labeled “HR 40” from different jurisdictions and contexts. This summary focuses on the resolution described at the top of the packet: the state House resolution urging the MHSAA to align with Executive Order 14201.

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