(The Center Square) – Bills that would ban men from women’s sports and establish new programs for school safety are now on Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk as lawmakers wind down the 2025 session.
House and Senate leaders merged Senate Bill 1 into the Riley Gaines Act proposed by the House.
The legislation would allow the state to withhold funding from schools that fail to follow the provisions outlined in the bill after an investigation. Teams could also be prevented from competing if violations of the law are confirmed.
The revised bill removes a provision that would have added definitions for male and female throughout the Georgia code. It defines “male” and “female” in relation to school sports.
“Today, the General Assembly sent a clear message – biological men are not welcome in girls’ sports or spaces here in Georgia,” said House Speaker Jon Burns in a statement made shortly after the bill’s passage. “The House was proud to support this measure, which builds on prior protections championed by the House, that protects integrity and fairness for the millions of female athletes who compete across our state.”
The chambers also reached an agreement on another priority – school safety.
House Bill 268 would create a statewide emergency system to monitor threats against schools. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency would oversee it.
Schools would be required to adopt threat assessment plans and implement a mobile panic alarm system. Apalachee High School, the scene of a school shooting that killed four people in September, had a panic alarm system. Lawmakers said it saved lives.
The bill removes a school safety database proposed by the House.
“This legislation is the result of months of collaboration with educators, students, parents, school administrators and law enforcement agencies to develop a comprehensive school safety plan that addresses the security needs of our school buildings, prioritizes the mental health of Georgia’s students and ensures we take proactive measures to keep our children safe,” Burns said.
The bills passed in the final week of the 2025 General Assembly Session. Lawmakers still have several bills on the calendar before Friday, including the fiscal year 2026 budget.
