BISMARCK — The North Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday, Feb. 20, that would define gender in state law based on a person’s sex.

Sponsored by Rep. SuAnn Olson, R-Baldwin, House Bill 1181 recognizes a person’s gender in the North Dakota Century Code as their biological sex.

The new gender definition would apply to institutions that receive state funding, such as public schools and state agencies.

According to the bill, various forms and materials used by those entities would have to recognize an individual based on their sex, rather than their gender.

“This is a simple bill that seeks to define gender,” Karen Anderson, R-Grafton, said on the House floor Thursday.

The bill is aimed at aligning with President Donald Trump’s executive order, which made the federal government recognize male and female as the only two sexes, Anderson added.

There was no further discussion on the floor before the chamber voted 74-13 in favor of the bill.

The legislation originally limited the definition of gender to male or female only, but was amended after opponents questioned how the proposed law would apply to people born intersex.

Opponents in the hearing also said the law was discriminatory to transgender people, would lead to damaging mental health impacts, and deter people from living in North Dakota.

More than three-quarters of the online testimony opposed the bill, including that of North Dakota students and residents.

Those in favor of the legislation were the North Dakota Family Alliance Legislative Action, a doctor working for the American Academy of Medical Ethics, and one North Dakota resident.

“Gender is not illusory,” Olson said in the hearing. “Wanting it to be does not make it so.”