Senator Garvin secures Senate passage of Women’s Bill of Rights

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday passed the Women’s Bill of Rights, which updates state law to ensure all statutory references to women refer to a person’s biological sex and, specifically, individuals who were born female.

Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, is the principal Senate author on House Bill 1449, a carryover measure from the 2023 legislative session that clarifies how state law defines females and males by defining ‘sex’ as a person’s biological sex, a designation assigned at birth.

It also prohibits unfair sex discrimination while also allowing state government to make distinctions between the sexes in certain situations. The government could differentiate between the sexes to ensure privacy and safety in restrooms, athletic facilities, locker rooms, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, prisons and other detention facilities. The state and any political subdivisions that collect vital statistics would have to identify individuals as male or female under the updated definitions in HB 1449.

“The Women’s Bill of Rights will protect Oklahoma women at a time when the Biden administration continues to push its deeply flawed gender ideology,” Garvin said. “I look forward to my daughters growing up in a state that prioritizes protecting the hard-fought rights of biological women while also ensuring their safety and security. Additionally, after my mother’s cancer diagnosis, I learned that having accurate health data that differentiates between biological males and females can be key to finding the right treatment because some therapies work better for women than men. This common-sense measure simply codifies the definition of a biological female and a biological male so there’s no confusion in Oklahoma health statistics or state law.”

This measure passed the Senate 35-7 and now returns to the House, where it was introduced by Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin.

"Unfortunately, we continue to see attacks nationwide on the integrity of women-only spaces," Hasenbeck said. "Inviting biological men into spaces where women are vulnerable sets an incredibly dangerous precedent and, frankly, tells women that society doesn't care about their safety. By passing the Women's Bill of Rights into statute, Oklahoma is standing up to protect women of all backgrounds from those with ill intentions."

The Women’s Bill of Rights would also take steps to codify an executive order Gov. Kevin Stitt signed last year.

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For more information, contact Sen. Jessica Garvin at (405) 521-5522 or Jessica.Garvin@oksenate.gov

Rep. Toni Hasenbeck at (405) 557-7305 or Toni.Hasenbeck@okhouse.gov