NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y. — A New York appellate court unanimously struck down a Nassau County law restricting transgender women and girls from participating on female-designated sports teams at county-owned facilities, ruling that the restrictions violated state anti-discrimination protections.
The Nov. 4 decision by a four-judge panel of the Appellate Division, Second Department, reversed a lower court ruling that had upheld the county’s restrictions and found that the ordinance conflicted with New York’s Human Rights Law and Civil Rights Law.
The court granted summary judgment to the state and returned the case to Nassau County Supreme Court for entry of a judgment declaring Local Law No. 3-2024 invalid.
The ruling follows more than two years of litigation over restrictions introduced by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who first attempted to prohibit transgender women and girls from competing on female-designated teams at county athletic facilities through an executive order in February 2024.
After a judge struck down the executive order because Blakeman lacked the authority to impose the restrictions unilaterally, the Nassau County Legislature adopted a similar policy through Local Law No. 3-2024 in June 2024.
The ordinance, titled “A Local Law to Maintain a Safe and Fair Competitive Environment for Women and Girls Participating in Sports and Athletic Events,” restricted the use of county park property for athletic events involving female-designated teams that included transgender women or girls.
Under the law, sports organizations applying for permits to use county-owned athletic facilities were required to identify their teams as male, female or coeducational.
Women’s and girls’ teams that included transgender women or girls were prohibited from receiving permits, while the ordinance did not impose equivalent restrictions on transgender athletes participating on male-designated or coeducational teams.
Blakeman defended the policy as necessary to preserve fairness and safety in women’s sports.
According to ABC7 New York, Blakeman previously stated, “We will protect women from bullying by transgender males.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James challenged the ordinance in July 2024, arguing that Nassau County lacked authority to impose restrictions on public recreational facilities that conflicted with statewide civil rights protections.
The state sought a declaration that the ordinance was invalid and an injunction preventing the county from enforcing it.
In October 2025, Nassau County Supreme Court Justice R. Bruce Cozzens ruled in favor of the county, rejecting the state’s challenge.
The appellate court reversed that ruling, finding that the county’s permitting requirements conflicted with protections established under the New York State Human Rights Law and Civil Rights Law Section 40-c.
Those laws prohibit certain forms of discrimination based on gender identity or expression, including discrimination involving access to public accommodations and facilities.
The appellate panel concluded that the county’s ordinance was preempted by state law because local governments cannot impose requirements inconsistent with protections established by the state Legislature.
The decision limits Nassau County’s ability to use its authority over publicly owned athletic facilities to exclude teams based on the participation of transgender women or girls.
Following the ruling, Attorney General James welcomed the decision, while Nassau County officials indicated that they intended to pursue further appeals.
The case was returned to Nassau County Supreme Court for entry of a judgment declaring the ordinance invalid.
The ruling concerns access to county-owned athletic facilities under New York law. It does not establish a nationwide rule governing transgender participation in school, collegiate or professional athletics.
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