Georgia’s House Education Committee has approved the Riley Gaines Act, a bill that would ban males from competing in women’s sports and replace the word “gender” with “sex” in state law. The bill now moves to the full House for a vote.
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines testified in favor of the bill, citing her experience competing against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 2022 NCAA Championship. Gaines emphasized the unfairness of allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports due to inherent physical advantages and the increased risk of injury.
The legislation differs from Senate Bill 1, which also seeks to prohibit males from participating in female sports. House Bill 267 expands its impact by redefining terms such as “father” and “mother” based on biological sex and applying these definitions to various state functions, including voter registration and medical records.
The bill also grants Georgia’s Professional Standards Commission the authority to issue fines for violations related to athletics. School administrators, including principals and superintendents, could face fines starting at $1,000 for failing to enforce the law.
Senate Bill 1 has already passed the Senate and awaits consideration in the House, while House Bill 267 now moves forward for a full chamber vote.
