Latest news with #JonBurns
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia governor expected to sign 'Riley Gaines Act,' which bans trans athletes from entering girls' sports
The Georgia legislature passed a bill Monday along mostly party lines to prohibit transgender girls – or biological males – from participating in girls' sports. S.B. 1, also known as the "Riley Gaines Act of 2025," requires middle school, high school and college student athletes to compete on sports teams that align with their biological sex. Restrooms, locker rooms and sleeping quarters will also be restricted to only allow biological boys in the spaces designated for boys and biological girls in the spaces designated for girls. Georgia House Passes 'Riley Gaines Act' That Aims To Prohibit Trans Athletes From Competing In Female Sports The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's desk, and he is expected to sign the legislation. The measure was a priority for House Speaker Jon Burns and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, both of whom are Republicans. "The General Assembly sent a clear message—biological men are not welcome in girls' sports or spaces here in Georgia," Burns said, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Read On The Fox News App Jones said the General Assembly "made a historic step toward achieving a critical goal for this session, the protection of women's sports," according to the outlet. "I want to thank all of the brave women and girls who shared their personal stories and helped shape this legislation," Jones continued. "Their courage is commendable and ensures that the rights of female athletes are preserved and protected by law. I look forward to standing with Gov. Brian Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns and female athletes with their families around the state when the 'Riley Gaines Act of 2025' is signed into law." The bill is named after Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who was put into the public spotlight when she criticized the participation of biological males in girls' sports after she competed against Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer who Gaines and other female athletes were forced to share a locker room with. Controversial Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas Vows To Fight Trans Athlete Bans Amid National Shift On Issue "Such a tremendous honor. There are few causes more worthy than protecting opportunities for the next generation," Gaines wrote on X after the bill passed the Georgia House and Senate on Monday. More than 25 other states already prohibit biological males from participating in girls' sports. The measure was passed on Transgender Day of Visibility, in which transgender people and their supporters march and hold community gatherings and rallies against legislation targeting LGBTQ+ article source: Georgia governor expected to sign 'Riley Gaines Act,' which bans trans athletes from entering girls' sports
Fox News
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Georgia governor expected to sign 'Riley Gaines Act,' which bans trans athletes from entering girls' sports
The Georgia legislature passed a bill Monday along mostly party lines to prohibit transgender girls – or biological males – from participating in girls' sports. S.B. 1, also known as the "Riley Gaines Act of 2025," requires middle school, high school and college student athletes to compete on sports teams that align with their biological sex. Restrooms, locker rooms and sleeping quarters will also be restricted to only allow biological boys in the spaces designated for boys and biological girls in the spaces designated for girls. The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's desk, and he is expected to sign the legislation. The measure was a priority for House Speaker Jon Burns and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, both of whom are Republicans. "The General Assembly sent a clear message—biological men are not welcome in girls' sports or spaces here in Georgia," Burns said, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Jones said the General Assembly "made a historic step toward achieving a critical goal for this session, the protection of women's sports," according to the outlet. "I want to thank all of the brave women and girls who shared their personal stories and helped shape this legislation," Jones continued. "Their courage is commendable and ensures that the rights of female athletes are preserved and protected by law. I look forward to standing with Gov. Brian Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns and female athletes with their families around the state when the 'Riley Gaines Act of 2025' is signed into law." The bill is named after Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who was put into the public spotlight when she criticized the participation of biological males in girls' sports after she competed against Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer who Gaines and other female athletes were forced to share a locker room with. "Such a tremendous honor. There are few causes more worthy than protecting opportunities for the next generation," Gaines wrote on X after the bill passed the Georgia House and Senate on Monday. More than 25 other states already prohibit biological males from participating in girls' sports. The measure was passed on Transgender Day of Visibility, in which transgender people and their supporters march and hold community gatherings and rallies against legislation targeting LGBTQ+ people.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia General Assembly passes bill banning trans athletes from women's sports
The Brief The Georgia General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1, the "Riley Gaines Act of 2025," which bans biological males from participating in women's sports in Georgia. House Speaker Jon Burns and Lt. Governor Burt Jones say the bill protects the integrity and fairness of female athletic competitions. Lt. Governor Jones praised the women and girls who contributed their stories to shape the legislation. The legislation is named after Riley Gaines, who has been very vocal after competing against and sharing a locker room with transgender athlete Lia Thomas. ATLANTA - In a significant legislative move, the Georgia General Assembly has passed Senate Bill 1, known as the "Riley Gaines Act of 2025." This bill, a priority for House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) and Lt. Governor Burt Jones, aims to ban biological males from participating in women's sports across the state. It passed on the same day as people across the country celebrated Trans Day of Visibility. What we know Burns expressed his support for the bill, stating, "The General Assembly sent a clear message—biological men are not welcome in girls' sports or spaces here in Georgia." He went on to say this is about maintaining integrity and fairness for female athletes and thanked the Senate and Riley Gaines for their support in championing this cause. "Today, the Georgia General Assembly made a historic step toward achieving a critical goal for this session, the protection of women's sports," said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. "I want to thank all of the brave women and girls who shared their personal stories and helped shaped this legislation. Their courage is commendable and ensures that the rights of female athletes are preserved and protected by law. I look forward to standing with Governor Brian Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns and female athletes with their families around the state when the 'Riley Gaines Act of 2025' is signed into law." Dig deeper The Riley Gaines Act is named after Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who has publicly opposed transgender participation in women's sports after competing against and sharing a locker room with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Senate Bill 1 is based on findings from the Senate Special Committee on the Protection of Women's Sports, created by Lt. Governor Jones. With its enactment, Georgia would join 26 other states barring trans athletes from girls' and women's sports. For more details on Senate Bill 1, visit the Georgia General Assembly's website. Every year on March 31, people celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility with marches, community gatherings, educational forums, and rallies against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. It was founded in 2009 by trans activist Rachel Crandall-Crocker as the joyous alternative to Transgender Day of Remembrance, a solemn day that honors victims of anti-transgender violence. These days, International Transgender Day of Visibility serves as a platform for highlighting transgender professionals, artists, educators, and activists who are making an impact in their communities. The Source The Georgia General Assembly announced the passage of Senate Bill 1 on March 31, 2025.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
IVF bill goes to the governor as GOP women move to extend protection to contraception
A bill designed to protect access to in-vitro fertilization in Georgia is now on the governor's desk. Getty image A proposal to protect access to in-vitro fertilization has been sent to the governor as Georgia lawmakers are proposing a similar measure to protect the right to contraception. Bipartisan calls to shore up access to IVF began in the wake of an Alabama Supreme Court ruling last year that declared frozen embryos children. The ruling temporarily closed clinics there and created uncertainty nationally. Georgia's bill, House Bill 428, glided through the Legislature thanks to support from the state's most powerful Republicans, including House Speaker Jon Burns, who made the bill one of his priorities for the year. 'We're one step closer to codifying access to IVF and ensuring that every family in our state facing infertility will never have a question about their access to this life-changing treatment,' Burns told reporters Friday. The House finalized the bill Friday after the Senate tweaked it this week. Both chambers overwhelmingly passed the measure, and Gov. Brian Kemp has said he supports adding protection for the fertilization treatment. The bill, sponsored by Statesboro Republican state Rep. Lehman Franklin, defines IVF in state code and says a person cannot be prevented from obtaining the treatment. Franklin has openly shared his personal story as he has shepherded the bill through the legislative process. He and his wife Lorie struggled to build their family but are now expecting their first child because of IVF. The bill's final passage also happened days after House lawmakers held a more than two-hour hearing on House Bill 441, which would expand Georgia's law to completely ban abortion and charge people with murder for terminating a pregnancy. Several doctors who spoke at the hearing warned lawmakers that the proposal would end IVF treatment in Georgia. When asked about the hearing and that bill's prospects Friday, Burns told reporters that there's 'nothing that we can't talk about in the House.' 'We'll continue conversations about a wide range of subjects over the remainder of this session and the years to come,' Burns said. 'Like all Georgians and like all individuals, we don't necessarily agree 100% on everything, but I think we've worked towards a common good and a common goal, and that's to make sure we ensure and protect life in Georgia.' A new House bill filed this week mirrors the IVF bill and extends protections to contraception. Rep. Sharon Cooper, a Marietta Republican who chairs the House Public and Community Health Committee, said Friday that she filed House Bill 872 because she thought contraception was being left out of the broader conversation about reproductive rights. She said she sees it as a proactive measure. Contraceptives are commonly used by girls and women throughout their lifetime and for a range of purposes, whether it's for acne, managing pain, spacing out pregnancies or other reasons. 'They play a major role in a woman's life,' Cooper said. Cooper's bill was filed Thursday with more than a dozen signatures of Republican women lawmakers, including Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones. With the last day of the 2025 legislative session set for next Friday, rushing it through this year would be a tall order, but it will remain in play for next year. Jones, a Milton Republican, said the bill is more about addressing the perception that access to contraception could be in jeopardy. 'This certainly makes it clear that contraception is not up for grabs,' Jones said. 'It's very important to women all over Georgia, and we stand with them, and we are making it clear, whether it passes this year or next year, that the right to contraception is protected and honored in Georgia.' Democratic lawmakers and advocates began raising alarm bells about access to contraception after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion. At the time, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurring opinion that the justices should reconsider all the precedents that rely on the substantive due process legal reasoning that kept abortion legal nationwide for nearly half a century. He specifically cited the 1965 Griswold v. Connecticut ruling that recognized married couples' right to use contraception. In Georgia, Democrats filed bills last year attempting to protect access to contraception and IVF in the wake of the Alabama ruling. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Georgia IVF bill heads to governor's desk for signature
After its return to the Georgia House of Representatives for final approval, a bill to protect in vitro fertilization in Georgia is on its way to Gov. Brian Kemp to sign. The bill passed the Georgia Senate on Thursday, sending it back to the House. The IVF bill, supported by Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, was supported overwhelmingly in the other chamber. Lorie Franklin, wife of Statesboro State Sen. Lehman Franklin, said their family is overjoyed. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Henry County elementary teacher fired after simple battery arrest Missing 5-year-old's body found in Gwinnett County pond Principal identifies student killed in after-school shooting in DeKalb The Franklins used IVF to conceive, telling Channel 2′s Richard Elliot that it gave them a personal stake in protecting IVF. That's why Sen. Franklin sponsored the legislation. 'Definitely, the process will be there for them. There won't be that fear of them not having the IVF process. That was our goal for this bill, so we're super happy about it,' the senator said after the bill passed in the Senate. The bill was also a showing of bipartisanship in the chamber, with all of the state's Democratic senators backing the protections and supporting their entry in the state code. Now passed in both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly, the bill heads to the governor for approval or veto. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
