A bill that would ensure Utah athletes the right to wear religious clothing while participating in high school sporting events passed through the Legislature on Wednesday and is headed to Gov. Spencer Cox’s desk for signature into law.

Rep. Candice Pierucci, a Republican from Salt Lake County District 49, sponsored the protecting student religious and moral beliefs regarding athletic uniform requirements bill, officially designated HB 163 in the 2023 Utah Legislature.

“The purpose of this bill is to ensure that students are able to participate in athletics while still practicing their religion,” Pierucci told St. George News.

She went on to say that the genesis of the bill came about 18 months ago when she was contacted by members of the Muslim Civic League, who asked her to look into stories of high school athletes being told they cannot wear the traditional hijab during athletic events.

“Additional people came forward,” Pierucci said. “Members of the Sikh community told me they were not allowed to wear turbans while playing a sport. It has a really negative impact on many students from these communities and leads them to not participate in general.”

Read more about the bill at stgeorgeutah.com.

This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.