ATLANTA — Late Tuesday, the Georgia Senate passed a bill to restrict transgender youth from sports facilities and participating in their gender-specific sport. The bill was cobbled together at the Capitol in just the last week.
Democratic lawmakers passionately objected to the content and to the way Republicans pieced together what critics call a "Frankenbill."
"You’ve got to be kidding me. You’ve got to be kidding," Sen. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta) said on the Senate floor Tuesday.
The language in the bill, HB 1104, suddenly appeared last week – attached to what had been a bipartisan bill to support the mental health of student athletes. Transgender activists returned to the capitol for a loud rally steps away from the Senate chamber, where lawmakers planned a vote.
"As a queer community, it is so much harder, because we have to sit here and have so many targets on our backs," said Amore Rayon Cano, a Forest Park activist.
Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Buford) described all the bill’s new parts:
- It restricts the teaching of sex education for younger children;
- It requires schools to notify parents about library books checked out by students;
- It restricts transgender youth from locker rooms and sports matching their identity.
"No matter what the male claims his gender identity is, it would be based on the birth certificate, and would not be allowed to play in those girls sports," Dixon said.
Dixon had the backing of the Republican majority – who passed the bill over the heated objections of Democrats.
"This Frankenstein bill cobbles together some of our most draconian and backwards thinking," said Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes (D-Duluth).
"Anyone that is voting 'yes' on this bill while simultaneously voting under the twisted process we are under, really should be ashamed of themselves," Parent decried.
The Senate passed the bill on a party line vote. It now returns to the House, where it will no longer have bipartisan support.