HOUSE MINORITY LEADER RESPONDS TO IHSA POLICY DELAY

Illinois House Republican Leader Tony McCombie issued the following statement today in response to the Illinois High School Association’s (IHSA) April 15 response to the House Republican Caucus, nearly a month after receiving a formal letter requesting clarity and action on federal protections for women and girls in sports:

“The IHSA has once again chosen deflection over direction, and ambiguity over action. Their response is not just late—it’s weak. Saying, ‘It’s not our problem,’ doesn’t serve the students of this state. It’s not leadership—it’s a cop-out.

“This is not about politics but student safety and delaying clarity on this issue only prolongs the problem. If state law contradicts federal law, then the path forward is to work in good faith to resolve that conflict—not hide from it and risk losing federal dollars.”

“The House Republican Caucus stands united. We call on the IHSA, the Attorney General, the Governor, and all state officials to engage with federal authorities and bring clarity to this issue before a student gets hurt—because one incident is one too many.”