The Florida legislature this week approved a measure that requires athletic sports teams designated for girls to only be open to biological female athletes. The measure was amended into the education-related Senate Bill 1028 by Republican leaders after a standalone bill on the issue failed to garner the support it needed. The language of the provision means that transgender female athletes, who were biologically male at birth, can only participate in sports designated for males. It applies to high school and college sports sponsored by public schools. The bill now heads to Gov. Ron De Santis’s desk for signature. There are numerous opportunities and long-term benefits for females that come from competing and demonstrating their strength, skills, and athletic abilities, the text of the provision states. “The Legislature finds that maintaining the fairness for women athletic opportunities is an important state interest. The Legislature finds that requiring the designation of separate sex-specific …