ATLANTA — Another bill targeting transgender people who want to play sports made it one step closer to becoming law, but only after the bill’s author agreed to changes.
Lawmakers added language that would prevent what could have been an uncomfortable and potentially illegal strip search of suspected transgender athletes. The bill passed out of a subcommittee Wednesday.
People packed a subcommittee room as lawmakers heard yet another bill aimed at banning transgender girls from participating in sports against biological girls.
It also prevents them from sharing locker rooms or bathrooms.
Fayetteville Republican Josh Bonner is the bill’s author.
“Provide a level playing field for girls in Georgia to make sure that when they step on that athletic field that all things are equal, that essentially, biological males are not competing against biological females,” he said.
Former state pole champion Riley Jones asked lawmakers to pass the bill.
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“The reason I was able to win my state title was because I only went up against girls,” Jones said. “If I went up against boys, they would’ve killed me.”
But opponents pointed out that there’s not a single instance of a transgender girl competing against biological girls anywhere in Georgia school sports and they insisted this is a solution in search of a problem.
Bella Bautista is the current Miss Buckhead and will be the first transgender contestant in the Miss Georgia USA pageant.
She focused on the part of the bill banning transgender girls from using girl’s locker rooms.
“To all the Republican women that are supporting this bill... do you really want me in a restroom or locker room with your husbands? Thank you,” she said.
The bill passed this subcommittee.
It is now one of three bills relating to transgender Georgians before the general assembly.
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