Washington DC - A bill to ban transgender women and girls from participating in school sports failed to advance in the Senate on Monday night.

A test vote on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance in a 51-45 tally.

The bill passed out of the House in January largely on party lines.

Sponsored by Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, the legislation aims to amend Title IX to bar schools from permitting trans students to compete in athletic events "designated for women or girls."

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The bill – which defines sex "based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth" – was an attempt to codify an executive order issued by President Donald Trump last month banning trans athletes from school sports participation.

Democrats have largely opposed the sports ban, arguing it would not only infringe upon trans rights but also encourage invasive inspection of women's and girls' bodies.

LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations celebrated the win on Monday amid the growing rightwing assault on trans human rights.

"The Senate failed to move forward on a federal trans sports ban that would violate the safety and privacy of all girls, meaning the bill is dead for now," Human Rights Campaign posted on Instagram.

"This is a major victory, but let’s be clear: Our work is not done. We will continue to show up to defend trans youth in Congress, in state houses, and in the courts."