BEATRICE – Governor Jim Pillen was taking a victory lap Wednesday, following this year’s passage of legislation dubbed The Stand With Women Act.


The measure restricts participation in K-12 and college sports to teams that correspond to a student’s sex as defined in the bill…although the proposed act was amended to remove bathroom restrictions, in order to get enough legislative support for passage.


Pillen held a news conference with the sponsor of the act, Senator Kathleen Kauth, Wednesday morning, where the Governor held a signing of LB 89.


"It is time for all Nebraskans, not just for the people here, but everyone in the room ...that we get comfortable getting uncomfortable...talking about things that are important that we have not been very good at. Hopefully, this is a day that inspires us to do a little bit more."


Kauth has said she plans to bring the bathroom and locker rooms provisions back, next session.
"I've talked to people all over the country, in fact, all over the world. I've talked to radical feminist organizations to the Catholic Conference. I've talked to people about this issue and we might disagree with a lot...we might come at it from different perspectives, but on this issue....that men are men, women are women...and men should not be playing in women's sports. That is something that we agree on."


Pillen was accompanied by Riley Gaines….a former NCAA swimmer for the University of Kentucky who’s become the face of such legislation across the U.S and who competed at Olympic swimming trials in Nebraska.


"The goal of this legislation was simply to codify and define sex-based terms in law....something we never thought we were going to have to do. Defining words like woman, man, boy, girl, mother, father, male, female in state statute. It was fairly new. Only three states had done it....Kansas being first, Tennessee second, Oklahoma being the third."


Nebraska Softball star Jordy Bahl and Nebraska Volleyball standout Rebeka Allick also attended the news conference. Bahl said standing up for the legislation wasn’t about personal interest.


"I have one year left, of playing. I was always thinking about the younger athletes...the athletes who haven't even started their careers, yet. That's where this is in my heart. This is an incredible accomplishment. It's something that never should have had to be fought in the first place. But, it's incredible to be the 28th state that is getting this done."


Allick also spoke about the motivation to support the Stand With Women Act.  "I'm just really grateful to be surrounded by independent and individual thinkers. Again, this is not a political matter. This is common sense. We're trying to defend reality, which is such a crazy fight that we have to fight. And, though the opposition may not see it now, I think somewhere deep in their soul, they know. I think if we can just continue to plant those seeds...and later on, know that we did it for...in their best interests...and for their children's interests as well as my own."


Critics of the Stand With Women Act said it discriminates against transgender persons….and involves very few actual cases. Opponents have said such conflicts could be addressed at the high school and college levels without legislation.


A vote to cease debate on LB 89 succeeded with the minimum 33 votes necessary, and the bill gained final passage on a 33-16 vote. The bill requires the governing body of each school subject to it….to adopt a policy implementing the act.