Title IX Clarification Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill redefines "sex" under Title IX to mean biological sex only, based on whether a person's body is designed to produce eggs (female) or sperm (male). This would apply to all education programs receiving federal money.
• The definition of "female" is written around the reproductive system that produces ova, and "male" around the system that produces sperm. The language includes exceptions for congenital anomalies or disruptions to those systems.
• The bill would take effect immediately once signed into law and apply to any education program or activity that receives federal financial assistance from that point forward.
• By locking Title IX's sex-based protections to biological definitions, the bill would effectively prevent transgender students from accessing school facilities, sports teams, or other sex-separated programs that match their gender identity. This represents a major shift in how schools would be required to handle gender identity under federal law.
• The bill was introduced by Rep. Arrington with 22 Republican cosponsors and referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. It faces a long path before becoming law, needing committee approval, floor votes in both chambers, and a presidential signature.