SF1651

The Minnesota Women's Bill of Rights (Senate File No. 1651) aims to define terms related to sex and gender in Minnesota civil law and ensure that laws and policies adhere to these definitions. Key provisions include:

1. Definitions:

   • "Woman" is defined as an adult human female, and "man" as an adult human male.
   • "Girl" refers to a female child, while "boy" refers to a male child.
   • "Mother" means a female parent; "father" means a male parent.
   • "Female" and "male" are defined based on reproductive biology.
   • "Sex" is designated at birth and does not include gender identity or other self-perceived classifications.
   • Individuals with differences in sex development (DSD) or intersex conditions are not considered a separate sex but must be accommodated under state and federal law.

2. Discrimination:

   • Anti-discrimination policies must specifically prohibit unfair treatment based on sex.
   • The state may provide single-sex spaces (such as athletic programs, bathrooms, locker rooms, dormitories, domestic violence shelters, and rape crisis centers) to protect safety, privacy, and fairness.

3. Data Collection:

   • Public institutions (including schools and state agencies) must classify individuals as either male or female when collecting sex-related data.
   • Additional data points beyond biological sex can be collected, but gender identity is not to be substituted for sex.

4. Severability Clause:

   • If any part of this law is found unconstitutional, the remaining provisions will still apply.

5. Revisor Instruction:

   • The law directs that the term "gender" be replaced with "sex" in Minnesota statutes when gender is used alone and not as part of a phrase like "gender identity."

This bill seeks to establish clear legal definitions of sex and reinforce state policies surrounding single-sex spaces and protections.