The Georgia Senate has passed two bills to ban most gender mobility treatment for minors and inmates in state prisons, with some Democrats joining Republicans helping with the measure.
Lawmakers voted 34-19 on Monday, for those under the age of 18 on a bill that bans most gender mobile treatments, including adolescent blockers, even those already in treatment. In 2023, the state banned most gender mobile surgeries and hormone replacement therapy for transgender children unless they were already receiving treatment.
“You’re asking [minors] Bill’s sponsor, GOP Sen. Ben Watson, said Monday. “It’s not a fair decision for them. It’s not a fair decision for their parents.”
The second bill, sponsored by Senate majority Whip Randy Robertson, would mostly ban gender-mobility treatment of inmates in state prisons.
Senate Dem faces backlash after Bill to prevent boys from playing girls’ sports
Senator Ben Watson will speak in Atlanta on Monday, March 3, 2025 at the Georgia State Capitol. (AP)
Opponents of the measure accused Republicans of playing politics by targeting transgender people, and argued that lawmakers should focus on more pressing issues. They said both bills violate the rights of transgender people and their families in order to make decisions about gender mobility treatment.
“The body promulgated the bill after attacking trans people with the ultimate goal of destroying them. We were here before,” Senate Whip Kim Jackson, an openly lesbian Democrat, said Monday.
At least 26 states have enacted laws restricting the treatment of minors in gender movement, but most have been slapped in lawsuits.
Texas lawmakers are proposing a bill that bans gender transition treatment for all people, including adults.
At least 26 states have enacted laws restricting the treatment of minors in gender movement. (Adobe Co., Ltd.)
Jackson and other Democrats proposed amendments to Watson’s bill. This allowed minors to continue to avoid the medical and emotional risk of halting during treatment for minors already undergoing gender mobility treatment, but the correction failed.
Democrat Elena’s parents and Sonya Halpern reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the rights of transgender people, but defied party boundaries to vote for Robertson’s bill, saying that taxpayers should not bear the cost of handling gender trade for prisoners. The parents proposed an amendment that would create an exception for inmates who were already receiving hormone replacement therapy, but the amendment also failed.
“I’m not dragging the party into arguments that prevent us from contacting people we claim to represent,” Halpern said.
Four Democrats supported a bill that would ban gender transition treatment for inmates. (istock)
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Sen. Sally Harrell, who has two transgender children, said, “I want to remind people that we are talking about very realistic people, including parents, children, families, and more.”
Sen. Freddie Powell Sims is the only Democrat to vote for both bills, with four Democrats supporting a bill that would ban inmates from treating gender transition.
Last month, the Senate passed the Bill, banning biological boys from playing in women’s sports and stripping them of public funds for gender transition treatment for adults.
Four bills head to the house.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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