Latest news with #RileyGainesAct
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Morrisey signs bill ending DEI, approves legislation prohibiting youth gender surgery
hinton – Ending Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and prohibiting gender transition surgeries and hormone blockers for minors were on Wednesday's agenda when West Virginia's governor spoke in Summers County and signed two bills into law. During a ceremony in Summers County, Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed Senate Bill 474, which ends Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs in West Virginia. The governor also signed Senate Bill 299, which prohibits hormone blockers and gender transition surgeries for children under the age of 18. 'I pledged to root out DEI and eliminate the woke virus in West Virginia, and today, we're following through on that promise,' Morrisey said. 'We will lead with common sense, treat every citizen the same under the law, and protect children from making life-altering decisions at a young age.' The governor was joined by legislators and supporters at the Summers County Memorial Building for the ceremonial signing. He highlighted his previous actions to end DEI and other woke policies in the state, which includes issuing an executive order and signing the Riley Gaines Act (HB 456) which defines the terms men, women and mother in the State Code and allows for single-sex spaces in locations such as locker rooms, changing rooms and domestic violence shelters. Morrisey first described the efforts to create Senate Bill 474 and how it addressed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. 'When I gave my inauguration speech, I pledged to root out DEI and eliminate the woke virus from the schools,' Morrisey said before signing Senate Bill 474. 'Now, I can report to you that we are following through with that promise and that's a wonderful reason to be here today. DEI is dead in the Mountain State.' Senate Bill 474 eliminates diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, trainings, activities, offices and officers from the executive branch, primary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education of the state and requires higher education institutions to reallocate any unexpended funds that would have been used on diversity, equity and inclusion projects. 'I want everyone to understand that every person should be treated with dignity and view people equally both under the eyes of God and the rule of law,' Morrisey said before signing the legislation. 'Treat everyone equally under the eyes of God and the rule of law.' Morrisey then spoke about the purpose of Senate Bill 299. The legislation prohibits physicians, physicians assistants and advanced practice registered nurses from providing gender reassignment surgery or gender altering medication to a person under 18 years of age, and prohibits telehealth service providers from prescribing or dispensing gender altering medication to a person who is under 18 years of age. 'This concept that young men can just change and morph into becoming young women, I think that puts women at a particular disadvantage and threatens their safety,' Morrisey said. 'That's why I was very happy to sign that Riley Gaines Act. It's a law to protect women and preserve women's spaces.' In 2023, the Legislature passed legislation banning gender reassignment surgery and providing gender altering medications, but it left a loophole 'that you could drive a truck through,' Morrisey said. 'Let's step back for a moment,' he said. 'We don't even let our kids go in to purchase alcohol, tobacco, sign up for the military, so we sure as hell should not let our kids mutilate their bodies as well. I think that's just common sense. While most of Europe and other countries have ended this barbaric practice on minors, unfortunately it's still taking place in many parts of America.' Critics called hormone blockers gender affirming care, Morrisey said. 'And that was being used by doctors to continue mutilating our kids. Senate Bill 299 closes that loophole and officially ends the practice of child mutilation in the state of West Virginia,' he said. The governor issued a statement earlier about members of female track and field teams having to compete against males. 'I am hearing that high school track coaches in West Virginia are threatening to force girl track and field athletes to compete against a boy or face suspension – which could remove their opportunity to participate in the state championships,' Morrisey said. 'This cannot stand.' 'I believe what is going on right now in West Virginia – with boys playing sports against girls – to be abhorrent and contrary to law,' he said. 'While we wait for the Supreme Court to issue their ruling in this case, I'm calling on all coaches involved to let these brave athletes take a stand for what is right without unfair punishment. As we all work toward removing the wrongly-decided injunction in upcoming months, I ask for all tournament officials to keep a full set of results so that true winners of each event may be recognized when the Supreme Court rules in our favor.' Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Legislature approves transgender athlete ban
Georgia lawmakers on Monday sent legislation to bar transgender student-athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is expected to sign the measure into law. Georgia's Senate Bill 1 would require middle schools, high schools and colleges to restrict participation in sports and access to multioccupancy facilities like restrooms and locker rooms on the basis of students' 'reproductive biology and genetics at birth.' It employs narrow definitions of male and female that are based on an individual's capability to produce either 'human sperm' or 'human ovum.' Also known as the 'Riley Gaines Act,' named after the conservative activist who regularly campaigns against the inclusion of transgender girls in sports, the bill easily cleared both chambers of the state Legislature with support from Republicans and Democrats. 'Such a tremendous honor. There are few causes more worthy than protecting opportunities for the next generation,' Riley Gaines wrote on the social platform X after Georgia state House lawmakers passed the bill Monday. The lower chamber passed the measure in a 100-64 vote, with three Democrats voting with all Republicans to send it to Kemp's desk. Another 'Riley Gaines Act' applying rigid definitions of male and female in state code became law this month in West Virginia. In a statement on Monday, Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R) said the Legislature in passing the bill 'sent a clear message — biological men are not welcome in girls' sports or spaces here in Georgia.' The state's Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) called the measure's success in the general assembly 'a historic step toward achieving a critical goal for this session.' Jones, along with Gaines, attended a signing ceremony in Washington in February for one of President Trump's executive orders to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports. Georgia's state Legislature, which is controlled predominantly by Republicans, in 2022 adopted a similar law creating a commission with the authority to ban transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that match their gender identity. The Georgia High School Association, the state's governing body for high school sports, passed a rule the same year mandating students' participation in athletics will be determined by their original birth certificate. LGBTQ and civil rights groups have largely opposed efforts to restrict or ban transgender athletes from participating on sports teams that best align with their gender identity, alleging they discriminate against trans young people and open the door to abuse. In January, House Democrats dubbed a GOP-backed measure to ban trans athletes from girls' and women's athletics nationwide the 'Child Predator Empowerment Act.' At least 25 states since 2020 have enacted laws barring transgender athletes from competing on teams that match their gender identity. Four of those laws — in Idaho, West Virginia, Utah and Arizona — are blocked by federal court orders. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
01-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Georgia legislature approves transgender athlete ban
Georgia lawmakers on Monday sent legislation to bar transgender student-athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is expected to sign the measure into law. Georgia's Senate Bill 1 would require middle schools, high schools and colleges to restrict participation in sports and access to multioccupancy facilities like restrooms and locker rooms by students' 'reproductive biology and genetics at birth.' It employs narrow definitions of male and female that are based on an individual's capability to produce either 'human sperm' or 'human ovum.' Also known as the 'Riley Gaines Act,' after the conservative activist who regularly campaigns against the inclusion of transgender girls in sports, the bill easily cleared both chambers of the state Legislature with support from Republicans and Democrats. 'Such a tremendous honor. There are few causes more worthy than protecting opportunities for the next generation,' Gaines wrote on the social platform X after Georgia state House lawmakers passed the bill Monday. The lower chamber passed the measure in a 100-64 vote, with three Democrats voting with all Republicans to send it to Kemp's desk. Another 'Riley Gaines Act' applying rigid definitions of male and female in state code became law this month in West Virginia. In a statement on Monday, Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R) said the Legislature in passing the bill 'sent a clear message—biological men are not welcome in girls' sports or spaces here in Georgia.' The state's Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) called the measure's success in the general assembly 'a historic step toward achieving a critical goal for this session.' Jones, along with Gaines, attended a signing ceremony in Washington in February for one of President Trump's executive orders to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports. Georgia's state Legislature, which is controlled predominantly by Republicans, in 2022 adopted a similar law creating a commission with the authority to ban transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that match their gender identity. The Georgia High School Association, the state's governing body for high school sports, passed a rule the same year mandating students' participation in athletics will be determined by their original birth certificate. LGBTQ and civil rights groups have largely opposed efforts to restrict or ban transgender athletes from participating on sports teams that best align with their gender identity, alleging they discriminate against trans young people and open the door to abuse. In January, House Democrats dubbed a GOP-backed measure to ban trans athletes from girls' and women's athletics nationwide the 'Child Predator Empowerment Act.' At least 25 states since 2020 have enacted laws barring transgender athletes from competing on teams that match their gender identity. Four of those laws — in Idaho, West Virginia, Utah and Arizona — are blocked by federal court orders.
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
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.
