On Monday, March 30, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sued the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), following through on warnings of legal action against the state for continuing to allow transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. According to the DOJ, Minnesota receives nearly $3 billion in federal education funding annually, which is conditioned on compliance with Title IX requirements.

In the complaint, the DOJ calls out MDE and MSHSL for engaging “in sex-based discrimination by requiring girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions designated exclusively for girls and allowing boys to enter intimate spaces designated exclusively for girls.”

“Title IX was established by the federal government to protect girls’ and women’s equal access to athletic and academic opportunities,” said Senator Gary Dahms (R – Redwood Falls). “I applaud the U.S. Department of Justice for upholding this law to ensure Minnesota girls have a fair and safe playing field.”

In September 2025, the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services notified Minnesota that it must change its policy allowing transgender athletes to compete on girls’ teams. In January 2026, the agencies referred the matter to the DOJ for enforcement action, and the DOJ subsequently filed suit.

“Senate Republicans will continue to stand for common sense and fairness in girls’ sports. I also urge leaders across Minnesota to keep speaking up to protect the future of girls’ athletics,” Senator Dahms added.

During the 2025 legislative session, Senator Dahms supported a Republican amendment to adopt a version of the Preserving Girls’ Sports Act into the Senate’s education policy bill. It was rejected on a party-line vote.

Senator Dahms is in his fifth term representing Senate District 15 which includes communities in Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine counties. He serves as the Republican Lead of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and is a member of the Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee.