ATLANTA – State Representative Will Wade (R-Dawsonville), House Floor Leader for Governor Brian Kemp, recently co-sponsored the Riley Gaines Act, a priority of House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington). Sponsored by State Representative Josh Bonner (R-Fayetteville), the Riley Gaines Act would prevent biological males from competing in women’s sports.
“This legislation is about protecting our girls and ensuring that every athlete has a level playing field to compete and succeed in Georgia,” said Floor Leader Wade. “This legislation is a priority for myself, Speaker Burns and many of my colleagues in the House, and with the support of Governor Kemp, this bill will bolster previous legislation that was passed in 2022. I am also grateful for the support of the sponsor, cosponsors and supporters – Representative Josh Bonner, Representative Chas Cannon, Representative Leesa Hagan, Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones and Representative Carmen Rice. No young girl should spend years and years training, giving everything they have only to arrive at a competition and be forced to compete against a biological male. We are committed to ensuring that Georgia’s young female athletes have a level playing field, not only in school sports but also in the invaluable opportunities that lead to higher education through athletic scholarships. This is about promoting fairness and securing a brighter future for all student athletes.”
Under the Riley Gaines Act, biological males would be prohibited from competing on sports teams designated for girls and women at every level, separate changing facilities, bathrooms and/or locker rooms would be required for athletic events, athletic scholarships designated for women could not be awarded to biological males and private schools that compete against public schools would be required to adhere to the standards set forth in the bill.
This legislation builds off of a prior measure championed by the House during the 2022 legislative session, which was signed into law that same year. House Bill 1084 requires high schools receiving state funding to refrain from participating in or sponsoring athletic events unless the associations have an executive oversight committee. HB 1084 also allows athletic associations to adopt policies preventing male students from competing in female-designated sports, which all member schools must follow.
Representative Will Wade represents the citizens of District 9, which includes portions of Dawson, Lumpkin and White counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2020 and currently serves as one of the Governor’s Floor Leaders and as Vice Chairman of the Banks & Banking Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. He also serves on the Education, Judiciary Juvenile, State Planning and Community Affairs and Transportation committees.
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