The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that states can legally ban transgender girls and women from participating in female sports.

The ruling settles, at least for now, long-standing, vigorous arguments on both sides of the issue.

Nebraska enacted a ban in the last legislative session. Gov. Jim Pillen was pleased with the high court’s ruling.

“Men do not belong in women’s sports or spaces,” he said. “The Supreme Court’s decision affirming the rights of states to initiate these bans is a significant victory — one that will ensure fairness and fair play in women’s sports.”

The justices voted 6-3 in the decision.  

Pillen said the ruling affirms actions that Nebraska lawmakers have taken through issuance of the Women’s Bill of Rights and passage of the Stand with Women Act (LB 89).

LB 89 allows exceptions for coed sports, and also modifies the definitions of male, female, and other similar terms in state law. It defines female as somebody who produces ova and male as somebody who produces sperm.

The definitions are in line with the Women’s Bill of Rights, which seeks to protect single-sex spaces and promote safety and privacy by establishing clear legal definitions of gender based on reproductive systems.

The high court issued two other significant rulings on Tuesday, which was their last day of the term. The justices:

• Overruled President Donald Trump’s executive order ending citizenship at birth for those born on U.S. soil. Trump has said the constitutional provision allows immigrants to become citizens even if they are here illegally. Trump said the birthright protection for so-called “anchor babies” helps parents and other family members gain citizenship or legal residency and/or avoid deportation.

• Struck down limits on how much a national political party committee can spend in coordination with individual candidates. Opponents denounced the ruling. “Today’s ruling is a win for billionaire donors and special interests who want more influence over the GOP agenda,” three Democrat party leaders said in a joint statement.

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