This article was updated at 5:04 p.m.
Georgia's Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would ban transgender girls from women's sports and ban all transgender students from locker rooms that correspond to their gender identity.
The measure would also give parents the option of receiving notifications when their child checks out a book from the school library, and would ban sex education in Georgia schools before sixth grade.
House Bill 1104 was originally intended to prevent depression and suicide among student athletes. But Senate Republicans hijacked the one-term Democratic lawmaker's bill in committee on March 19, adding language from four Republican-backed bills that address several culture war issues.
“There are many parts to this bill, but they all have one thing in common: empowering parents and ensuring a safe environment for children to learn and compete in school,” said state Sen. Clint Dixon, a Republican from Buford. There is,” he said.
Dixon said the transgender athlete ban would create a “level playing field” for Georgia's children.
“We're just working to protect girls' sports and girls' sports from kindergarten through 12th grade,” he said.
Democratic Sen. Nabila Islam Parks of Duluth rejected the bill on the Senate floor Tuesday.
“This Frankenstein bill is a compilation of our most rigid and backward thinking,” she said.
Islam Parks said the bill would cause “irreparable harm to students.” She added that for transgender students, this is “not only discrimination, but a cruel denial of their humanity.”
Sen. Elena Parent criticized Senate Republicans for forcing new additions to the bill without giving the public a chance to hear their opinions.
“Such an approach shows a lack of respect for voters and a lack of seriousness about the work we need to do to scrutinize the bill,” she said.
Dixon pushed back against Democratic opposition to the bill.
“It protects children and empowers parents,” he said.
The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 33-21. The bill will now return to the House of Representatives, but the path to passage is expected to be even steeper. The House of Representatives also has a Republican majority, but these policies are often balanced with the Senate.
Georgia Equality, an LGBTQ advocacy group, called the Senate's passage of the bill “disgraceful.”
“Simply put, HB 1104 makes our state’s schools hostile to transgender students,” Executive Director Jeff Graham said in a statement. “If this becomes law, children could be denied the opportunity to play on teams, be active, and learn sportsmanship.”
“Denying transgender students a fair opportunity to play sports with their classmates or forcing them into gender-neutral restrooms or locker rooms exposes them to mental health issues, harassment, etc. “This increases the risk of exposure to bullying,” he added. “Our lawmakers need to stop this dangerous measure.”
Conservative religious groups have largely supported these measures.
