ATLANTA – Today, Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) announced a priority bill for the 2025 legislative session—the Riley Gaines Act. Sponsored by Representative Josh Bonner (R-Fayetteville), the Riley Gaines Act protects the integrity and fairness of girls’ sports by preventing biological males from competing in women’s sports.
“This issue is simple—men don’t belong in women’s sports,” said Speaker of the House Jon Burns. “The Riley Gaines Act ensures that from now on in our state—young women who have dedicated countless hours, days, and years of their lives to become the best they can be in their sport will never be forced to face a biological male on the field, on the court, or in the locker room.”
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 bill addresses a basic issue of fairness and ensures that female athletes in Georgia are valued and protected,” said Rep. Bonner.
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.
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