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Riley Gaines Act

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For the West Virginia law of the same name, see West Virginia Senate Bill 456.
Riley Gaines Act
Georgia Legislature
  • AN ACT To amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, so as to enact the "Riley Gaines Act of 2025"; to provide generally for competitively fair and safe student participation in school and college sports; to provide for legislative findings and intent; to promote fair and safe competition; to provide for equal athletic opportunities and safety; to provide for specific designations of teams operated or sponsored by local school systems, public schools, participating private schools, and postsecondary educational institutions in this state; to prohibit males from participating in interscholastic and intercollegiate competitions on teams designated as female; to prohibit females from participating in competition on intercollegiate teams designated as male, subject to exceptions; to provide for such exceptions; to provide for interscholastic coed team designations; to provide for the use of student eligibility rules, standards, and classifications; to provide for exceptions to general provisions; to require multiple occupancy restrooms and changing areas and sleeping quarters to be designated for exclusive use by males or females; to provide for reasonable accommodations; to provide for exceptions; to prohibit postsecondary educational institutions that are covered entities from hosting or sponsoring intercollegiate competitions that allow males to participate with teams designated as female or use multiple occupancy restrooms or changing areas and sleeping quarters designated for use by females; to prohibit such covered entities from awarding to males scholarships intended for female team members; to provide for policies, rules, and regulations; to provide for investigation of complaints of noncompliance; to provide for sanctions; to provide for a cause of action; to provide for definitions; to provide for statutory construction; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Citation[1]
Territorial extent Georgia
Enacted byGeorgia Senate
EnactedFebruary 27, 2025
Signed byBrian Kemp
SignedApril 28, 2025
Legislative history
Bill titleSenate Bill 1
Introduced byGreg Dolezal[1]
Status: Current legislation

Georgia Senate Bill 1 (S.B. 1), originally known in the House as House Bill 267,[2] primarily known as the Riley Gaines Act[3] and also known as the Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act,[4] is a 2025 law in the state of Georgia that prohibits transgender athletes, namely trans women, from competing in sports that differ from their biological sex and mandates Georgians use public facilities that align with their biological sex.[5] It was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp on April 28, 2025.[6] The law is named after Riley Gaines, a conservative activist who opposes transgender women in women's sports.[7][8]

House Bill 267 and Senate Bill 1 are two separate bills, but both are known as the Riley Gaines Act.[9][10][11] The major difference between the two is the definition of sex in state law.[12] Senate Bill 1 was passed primarily along party lines and eventually became the final bill.[6][13][14]

Provisions

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Riley Gaines, the namesake of the Riley Gaines Act

Senate Bill 1 prohibits transgender women from competing in athletic activities that align with their gender identity. It applies to any public school or college in the state.[15] It defines male as someone who produces sperm and female as someone who produces ovum, or eggs.[16]

Reactions

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Support

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Senate Bill 1 was supported by House Speaker Jon G. Burns and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones.[17][18]

Opposition

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The ACLU of Georgia opposed Senate Bill 1 due to vague language regarding lawsuits, as well as discrimination in general.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Williams, Ross (2025-03-25). "Ban on transgender athletes in girls' sports in Georgia nears the finish line". Georgia Recorder. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  2. ^ Tagami, Ty (2025-04-28). "Transgender athlete ban signed into law in Georgia - Rough Draft Atlanta". Rough Draft Atlanta. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  3. ^ Williams, Ross (2025-04-29). "Kemp signs bills requiring school panic buttons, ban on trans girls in Georgia school sports". Georgia Recorder. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  4. ^ "Senate Bill 1 restricting trans athletes getting closer to becoming law". Fox 5 Atlanta. 2025-03-31. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  5. ^ T. Prabhu, Maya (2025-02-06). "Georgia Senate approves bill banning trans girls, women from female sports". Atlanta Journal Constitution Politics. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  6. ^ a b "Georgia Governor Signs Anti-LGBTQ Law Restricting Transgender Students from Sports, Despite Zero Trans Athletes Participating in State". GLAAD Law. 2025-04-28. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  7. ^ Linder, Brian (2022-04-04). "Kentucky's Riley Gaines says NCAA needs to 'make changes' to rules that allowed transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete at national championships". Penn Live Patriot News. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  8. ^ Hamilton, Heather (2023-07-10). "Riley Gaines to join OutKick with new show Gaines for Girls - Washington Examiner". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  9. ^ Tagami, Ty (2025-02-04). "Both chambers of Georgia General Assembly to focus on transgender athletes". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  10. ^ Ruby, Dan (2025-02-04). "Georgia House speaker to unveil bill restricting trans women in sports". Fox 5 Atlanta. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  11. ^ Tagami, Ty (2025-02-28). "Georgia House passes transgender student sports bill - Rough Draft Atlanta". Rough Draft Atlanta. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  12. ^ Tagami, Ty (2025-03-26). "Georgia legislature considers ban on transgender athletes - Rough Draft Atlanta". Rough Draft Atlanta. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  13. ^ Dukes, Deidra (2025-02-06). "Georgia Senate advances bill to ban transgender athletes from girls' sports | Fox 5 Atlanta". Fox 5 Atlanta. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  14. ^ Tagami, Ty (2025-02-06). "Georgia Senate votes to ban transgender athletes from school competitions". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  15. ^ Richards, Makayla (2025-04-01). "Transgender youth sports ban moves forward in Georgia | 11alive.com". 11 Alive. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  16. ^ Migdon, Brooke (2025-04-01). "Georgia Legislature approves transgender athlete ban". The Hill. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  17. ^ Murray, Judayah (2025-03-31). "Georgia General Assembly passes bill banning trans athletes from women's sports". Fox 5 Atlanta. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  18. ^ Windus, Joshua (2025-04-28). "Lt. Governor Burt Jones and Riley Gaines comment on Senate Bill 1 becoming law". Americus Times-Recorder. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  19. ^ Issacson, Cory (2025-02-07). "SB 1 encourages lawsuits, creates toxic school environments". ACLU of Georgia. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
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