According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), SB 2920 is not expected to have any fiscal impact on the State of Texas. The proposed legislation, which restricts UIL student athletes from using steroids as part of a gender transition regimen—even if medically prescribed—does not require additional funding or create any new administrative responsibilities for state agencies.

Similarly, the bill is anticipated to have no fiscal implications for local governments. This includes school districts and local education agencies that are typically involved in administering UIL-sanctioned events. Because the bill modifies existing eligibility criteria without imposing new reporting, enforcement, or compliance mechanisms, it is not expected to generate additional costs for implementation at the local level.

The Texas Education Agency and the University of Texas System Administration, both of which were consulted for the fiscal analysis, confirmed that the bill would not materially affect their operations or budgets.

SB 2920 offers a targeted clarification to the existing UIL steroid use policy by explicitly stating that steroid use for the purpose of gender transition does not qualify as a "valid medical purpose" under Section 33.091(h) of the Texas Education Code. The bill builds on prior legislative action, particularly HB 25, which requires students to compete in sports according to their biological sex, and reflects guidance issued by the Texas Attorney General. SB 2920 addresses lingering ambiguity in UIL policy enforcement, particularly regarding the use of testosterone by biological males competing in girls' sports.

From a liberty-oriented legislative framework, this bill supports the principles of personal responsibility and limited government by reinforcing objective standards in public school athletics without expanding regulatory power or impeding private medical decisions. It affirms that eligibility for UIL athletics must be grounded in biological reality and not subject to exceptions that risk undermining fairness and safety in competitive sports. The legislation maintains equal rules for all participants and protects girls' athletic programs from being distorted by inconsistent application of medical exemptions.

Contrary to critiques that suggest SB 2920 infringes on individual liberty, the bill does not regulate access to medical care or interfere with doctor-patient relationships—it simply defines the boundaries of eligibility in a state-regulated athletic setting. Students remain free to pursue personal healthcare decisions, but public competition must maintain biologically consistent standards to ensure fairness, integrity, and equal opportunity. There is no liberty tradeoff here; rather, the bill preserves a level playing field for all student-athletes by closing a loophole that could allow performance-enhancing substances into girls’ sports under the banner of gender transition.

Accordingly, SB 2920 represents sound policy that is consistent with both state law and widely held public expectations for fairness in school athletics. As such, Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote YES on SB 2920.

• Individual Liberty: While critics argue that SB 2920 limits the medical choices of transgender youth, the bill does not regulate or restrict access to medical care. Instead, it defines what constitutes a valid medical exemption for participation in UIL athletics. The liberty to pursue medical treatments remains intact; what the bill asserts is that such choices do not confer a right to participate in biologically designated athletic categories. From this perspective, individual liberty is preserved, while the rules of fair public competition are clarified. Just as students are free to choose their education or religion but not entitled to alter competition rules to suit those preferences, this bill reinforces that UIL eligibility is bound by objective standards that apply equally to all.
• Personal Responsibility: The bill reinforces personal responsibility by ensuring that athletes are held to consistent and fair eligibility criteria. The bill discourages attempts to bypass UIL standards by invoking medical exemptions unrelated to treating illness or injury and instead aimed at gaining access to a different competitive category. By drawing a clear boundary, it holds students, families, and schools accountable to shared, objective standards that preserve trust in school sports. This principle also supports the notion that choices, particularly those involving medical interventions, carry consequences. Choosing to undergo gender transition does not disqualify anyone from athletic participation altogether, but it does mean they must compete in accordance with their biological sex, as established by law.
• Free Enterprise: While the bill does not directly regulate the healthcare marketplace, it may contribute to market clarity. It does not ban services related to gender transition, nor does it penalize providers; it simply reinforces the separation between private medical choices and public athletic eligibility standards. This could help reduce litigation risk for school districts and UIL, protecting taxpayer-funded entities from legal ambiguity while respecting the private healthcare marketplace.
• Private Property Rights: The bill does not implicate property ownership or use. UIL participation and eligibility rules are state policy matters and do not touch private property rights.
• Limited Government: Far from expanding state power, the bill serves to clarify and enforce existing law, particularly in relation to HB 25 and AG Opinion KP-0481. It does not create new regulatory bodies, grant additional rulemaking authority, or impose new burdens on individuals or institutions. Instead, it offers clear statutory language that limits bureaucratic interpretation and provides transparency and predictability in UIL policy enforcement. This precision in lawmaking reflects a healthy application of limited government: targeted, purpose-driven intervention to close a loophole without creating broad regulatory overreach.