(Radio Iowa) – A bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing in girls sports in Iowa has cleared a House subcommittee after a nearly hour-long public hearing. Poppy Malone of Boone, a 7th grader in Ames Middle School, testified in favor of the bill.

Malone recently pinned an opponent just 27 seconds into a match at Woodward Granger High School. Trans athlete Gavy Smith of Decorah testified against the bill. She told legislators she participates in volleyball, bowling and track and field.

Ainsley Erzen of Carlisle won the 800-meter race at the girl’s state track meet last year and will attend the University of Arkansas next year on an athletic scholarship. She favors the legislation.

A lobbyist for the Iowa Association of School Boards told lawmakers the bill would force school officials to choose between following state law or federal guidelines that prohibit discrimination in sports based on gender identity. Dr. Katherine Imboric (im-BOR-ick), co-director of the L-G-B-T-Q Clinic at the University of Iowa, told lawmakers sports are an antitode to the challenges trans gender students face.

Republican lawmakers in at least 10 states have passed laws prohibiting trans athletes from participating in girls sports. In late April, Republican Governor Reynolds called on legislators to pass a bill banning trans girls and women from competing in school sports that match their gender identity. The two Republican lawmakers who co-sponsored the bill to accomplish that goal voted to advance it out of a House subcommittee today (Thursday). The bill is likely to be considered in a full House Committee next week.