Georgia House Speaker Introduces Bold Riley Gaines Act: New Legislation Aims to Restrict Trans Women’s Participation in Sports

ATLANTA – Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns introduced the Riley Gaines Act during a press conference at the State Capitol. This act is a key focus for the upcoming 2025 legislative session.

The bill is backed by Rep. Josh Bonner. Burns claims it aims to protect fairness in girls’ sports by keeping biological males from competing with women.

Details of the Riley Gaines Act

The Riley Gaines Act would stop biological males from joining sports teams meant for girls and women in schools and colleges. Under this act:

• Separate changing facilities and bathrooms would be necessary for athletic events.
• Athletic scholarships for women would not be available to biological males.
• Private schools competing against public schools would also need to follow these rules.

Speaker Burns emphasized, “This issue is simple, men don’t belong in women’s sports.” He stated that this act ensures young women won’t have to compete against biological males in any sports setting.

This bill follows a previous law from 2022, known as House Bill 1084, which mandates that high schools receiving state funds must not participate in athletic events unless they have an oversight committee. It also allows schools to adopt policies to prevent male students from competing in female-designated sports.

Who is Riley Gaines?

The Riley Gaines Act is named after Riley Gaines, a former swimmer at the University of Kentucky. Gaines took legal action against the NCAA after competing against a transgender athlete in 2022, expressing her concerns about fairness in women’s college sports.

Reactions to the Legislation

Not everyone supports this legislation. Democratic Senator Kim Jackson has spoken out against similar bills in the past. She believes the legislation targets a vulnerable group and describes the situation in Georgia as a “non-issue.” Jackson argues that girls aren’t being pushed out of sports or losing scholarships due to the presence of transgender girls.

This debate continues to be a hot topic in Georgia and across the country, reflecting a larger national conversation about the inclusion of transgender athletes in competitive sports.

Sources: This report includes contributions from FOX 5 Atlanta reporters.