Marcell Signs Discharge Resolutions on Women’s Sports and Energy Measures

State Representative Kristen Marcell announced that she has signed two discharge resolutions in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to advance legislation currently held in committee.

The first resolution pertains to Senate Bill 9, known as the Save Women’s Sports Act. The measure would require public institutions of higher education and public school entities to designate athletic teams as male, female, or co-ed based on biological sex as determined by anatomy and genetics at birth.

Under the bill, athletic teams designated for females would not be open to students of the male sex. The legislation also includes provisions allowing a student to bring a civil action if they are deprived of an athletic opportunity or experience retaliation for reporting a violation. Schools or institutions could also take legal action if they face penalties for maintaining separate male and female teams.

Senate Bill 9 was introduced by Senator Judy Ward on February 3, 2025, and referred to the Senate Education Committee. It passed the Senate on May 6, 2025, and was re-referred to the House Health Committee on July 9, 2025.

In announcing her support for bringing the bill to a vote, Representative Marcell stated, “Young women train hard, and they deserve to compete on a level playing field and in a safe environment.”

The second discharge resolution concerns Senate Bill 186, a proposal to withdraw Pennsylvania from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The program, adopted through regulation, requires power plants to purchase allowances for carbon emissions as part of a multistate effort to reduce greenhouse gases.

Senate Bill 186, introduced by Senator Gene Yaw on January 24, 2025, would abrogate the existing CO₂ Budget Trading Program regulations found in Title 25 of the Pennsylvania Code, Chapter 145, Subchapter E. The bill passed the Senate on February 4, 2025, and was referred to the House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee on February 5, 2025.

In her legislative update, Marcell described both Senate Bill 9 and Senate Bill 186 as “commonsense proposals that protect our communities and deserve real consideration.”

A discharge resolution allows members of the House to advance a bill that has not been scheduled for committee action. It requires the signatures of at least 25 members to move the legislation to the floor for debate and a vote.

Both measures remain under consideration in their respective committees in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.