The South Carolina Senate has approved a bill that would ban transgender students from playing girls' or women's sports in public schools and colleges. The 30-10 vote Wednesday likely clears the way for South Carolina to join a dozen others with similar laws that sprung up in the past two years. The House will review changes made by senators. If that chamber approves the new version, the bill heads to the governor's desk. More than a dozen other conservative states in requiring transgender students to compete with the gender listed on their birth certificates. Idaho passed the first ban in 2020. Its law and a similar law in West Virginia have been blocked by courts.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has gone through a consequential year of success, both on and off the basketball court. Along the way, Staley has become the voice of leadership and direction in the women's game. She jokes often that she never planned to get into coaching before accepting the job at Temple even though she has always had in her. Staley's role as an elite point guard was to serve as the coach on the floor. She won her second NCAA Tournament crown — the first Black coach to accomplish the feat — with a 64-49 victory over UConn. Her success has given Staley the platform to champion issues off the court. She continues to speak out about gender equity, diversity and opportunities for women.

South Carolina Democrats lined up more than 1,000 amendments in a symbolic attempt to delay a vote on a bill that would ban transgender students from playing girls' or women's sports in public schools and colleges. Between the four boxes of amendments and a tornado warning that evacuated the chamber, they stretched Tuesday's debate for nearly seven hours. But the Republican majority won, passing the bill on an 82-28 vote about 9:15 p.m. The legislation would require athletes to compete with the gender listed on their birth certificates. About a dozen states have already passed similar legislation. The bill needs one more routine approval before heading to the state Senate.

fter nearly two years of work, supporters of a bill that would ban transgender students from playing girls' and women's sports in South Carolina high schools and public colleges have gotten a proposal out of committee. But the bill as written — especially including colleges and private schools — didn't appear to have enthusiastic support among Republicans in the Senate Education Committee. Chairman Greg Hembree says e supports the general idea of the bill, but the proposal hasn't been thought out. Opponents say South Carolina college teams could end up being unable to play if other teams have a transgender athlete or protest a law.

City officials say they've made it clear from the get-go that Rock Hill 'would not, could not, should not backstop this debt.'

A bill that would ban transgender student-athletes from competing in girls sports in South Carolina is is suddenly back in front of lawmakers. A similar proposal died in a House committee last spring even as nearly a dozen other states, all Republican-led, passed their own laws preventing transgender students from playing on girls sports teams. On Thursday, a House subcommittee heard testimony for an hour on the proposal. Next week, a Senate subcommittee will have its own public hearing. The bill says the gender of students on their birth certificates will determine whether they can play on a boys team or a girls team.

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper has paused construction on the team's $800 million practice facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina citing concerns over a lack of funding from the city needed to complete the project's infrastructure. Tepper has invested $170 million into the project, according to a statement from a spokesman for Tepper Sports and Entertainment on Monday. In the statement, it says TSE has "been unable to contribute the agreed upon investment to fund the construction of the public infrastructure." The practice facility was set to open in 2023.

South Carolina State women's coach Audra Smith was fired a day after filing suit against the school alleging Title IX violations and discriminatory practices at the university. Smith was in her fourth season at the school. Her suit was filed Wednesday in federal court. She said in the complaint the school continually provided fewer resources to women's teams, athletes and coaches than received by men's teams. Smith's suit asked for undisclosed damages. On Thursday, South Carolina State ended Smith's contract. Smith was 24-73 in four seasons in charge of the program.

Authorities say an autopsy found unusually severe brain disease in the frontal lobe of the former NFL player accused of fatally shooting six people in Rock Hill, South Carolina before killing himself in April. The family of Phillip Adams agreed to have their son's brain tested for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The degenerative disease is linked to head trauma and concussions, and can cause symptoms including violent mood swings and memory loss. CTE expert Dr. Ann McKee says the 20 years Adams spent playing football definitely gave rise to his diagnosis. The victims' family said the autopsy results provide them with some comfort in the midst of their crushing heartbreak.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has received a seven-year contract worth $22.4 million. She will get a salary increase of $800,000 this season, earning a total of $2.9 million. Her salary will increase each year of the deal until it tops out at $3.5 million in 2027-28. The school said in a statement it makes Staley the highest paid Black coach in women's basketball. The new deal was approved by the school's board of trustees on Friday. Staley's salary is tops in the Southeastern Conference, surpassing the $2.5 million newly hired Kim Mulkey will get with LSU this season.