A Georgia State Senate bill that seeks to regulate transgender athletes' participation in sports is heading to committee and has the support of a number of Northeast Georgia delegates.
Senate Bill 1, titled the "Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act," would require athletes participating in middle school, high school or collegiate athletics to compete in the sport matching their gender assigned at birth, rather than the gender they identify as.
The bill says its purpose is to protect student athletes from harm and preserve competitive fairness. It would apply to both public and private schools.
The bill was read and referred by the State Senate on Tuesday, sending it to the Senate Committee on Education and Youth. The bill has 28 sponsors, all Republicans, with eight of those representing the Northeast Georgia region.
The local state senators sponsoring the bill are listed below:
- Greg Dolezal (27th District)
- Clint Dixon (45th District)
- Bill Cowsert (46th District)
- Frank Ginn (47th District)
- Shawn Still (48th District)
- Drew Echols (49th District)
- Bo Hatchett (50th District)
- Steve Gooch (51st District)
The full legislation, as currently proposed, can be read on the Georgia General Assembly website.
