Georgia Senate's trans youth sports bill passes
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Georgia Senate Republicans banded together on Thursday to pass long-brewing legislation that would restrict trans student-athletes' access to school and college sports.
Why it matters: The state Senate measure echoes President Trump's flurry of executive orders radically reshaping trans people's rights in the U.S., including on athletic fields.
Zoom out: The Georgia Senate's nearly party-line vote — State Sens. Ed Harbison of Columbus and Freddie Powell Sims of Dawson were the only Democrats to side with Republicans — the NCAA changed its policy on trans women's participation to match Trump's executive order.
How it works: The long-brewing legislation, sponsored by Senate Majority Chief Deputy Whip Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming), prohibits boys and men from playing on girls' and women's athletic teams and vice versa unless a school does not offer an equivalent option.
- Schools that violate the law would risk losing state funding and parents could file a civil lawsuit if they think their child was "deprived of an athletic opportunity or [suffered] any direct or indirect harm."
Zoom in: The legislation defines "male" as a person "who has, had, will have, or, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, would have the reproductive system capable of producing human sperm."
Zoom out: Dolezal said the legislation is necessary to ensure women student-athletes don't get injured or miss out on scholarships while playing trans women.
- "I think that inclusion is a factor that we should think about. Inclusion is important, but I don't think it's as important as safety, and nor do I think it is important as fairness."
The other side: Democrats have long called the legislation a solution in search of a problem. If enacted, the law could embolden bullies and stigmatize young people who deserve better services, they said.
- Cait Smith of the Center for American Progress has noted that trans participation in sports, especially at the collegiate and elite levels, remains rare.
What they're saying: Senate Democratic Caucus Whip Kim Jackson (D-Stone Mountain) used herself as an example when she said the bill could increase discrimination against girls and women who are not transgender but happen to excel at sports.
- "Girls who will have to prove that they are, in fact, girls because they are judged and scrutinized for not quite living up to what a girl is supposed to look like."
State of play: The legislation now moves to the Georgia House of Representatives, where Republican leaders including Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) have introduced their own legislation on the issue.
- Should both chambers approve each others' bills, a conference committee would be created to iron out differences.