Trans Georgians, school safety bills await their fate as state legislative session draws to a close

ATLANTA — The 2025 session of the Georgia General Assembly ends Friday, and lawmakers are in crunch time to get their bills over the finish line.

Republicans who control both the state House and Senate prioritized strengthening school safety and restricting transgender athletes from competing outside of the sex listed on their birth certificates. But lawmakers are also considering legislation related to health, immigration, religion and marijuana.

Because this is the first year in a two-year biennium, any bills that do not pass could still return for next year’s session.

Here’s a look at some of the bills still in play.

School Safety

After last year’s deadly shooting at Apalachee High School, lawmakers vowed to ensure students could learn safely and get mental health support as needed. The House passed House Bill 268, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Holt Persinger who represents Barrow County, 159-13. It would instruct schools to create a plan identifying the ability for threats to breach the buildings.

The Senate passed Senate Bill 17, which would require local school systems to implement a panic alert system to coordinate between first responders in the event of an emergency. Senators also passed Senate Bill 61, which addresses children who make “terroristic threats,” and Senate Bill 179, which would require schools to quickly communicate about disciplinary problems with transferring students.

House Bill 268 is more likely to move forward, and lawmakers have amended the language — namely removing a provision that would have required schools to develop a database with information about students who have made credible threats.

And two bills that deal with school zone cameras that automatically ticket drivers who are speeding have been resurrected for consideration. One would ban the cameras, while another would give motorists more warning before they reach them.

Transgender Georgians

After moving quickly earlier this year, Republican lawmakers have held on to bills regulating transgender people until the final week of the legislative session. And all of the bills will be heard in the House.

Senate Bill 1, which would require transgender student athletes to play sports according to the sex as identified at birth, was voted out of committee last week and could get a vote on the House floor this week. Sponsored by state Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, the bill was combined with House legislation and named after former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines.

Gaines tied for fifth place with a transgender woman during a 2022 competition held at Georgia Tech and has since traveled the country speaking against allowing transgender people to play sports according to their gender identity.

Senate Bill 39 would ban the State Health Benefits Plan and Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care for state employees and their family members. That bill was approved by a House committee last week, but it is expected to go back to committee Monday to be amended.

A House committee approved Senate Bill 30 last week. The bill establishes guidelines that must be met by physicians, mental health professionals and parents before transgender minors could receive puberty blocking medications to aid in their transition.

Though several bills regulating transgender people are moving through the legislative process this year, the one regulating athletic competition is most likely to become law.

Liability

Although Gov. Brian Kemp’s main legislation to overhaul the state’s litigation system has already passed, other bills dealing with civil liability are still awaiting final passage. One of those is Senate Bill 21, sponsored by Republican Sen. Blake Tillery, which strips municipalities of their sovereign immunity if they shield immigrants in the country without permission from deportation.

House Bill 531 would extend the same legal protections the state has to Georgia’s 530 cities. However, plaintiffs against cities could receive a higher award amount than plaintiffs against the state. The state and county governments are already protected by sovereign immunity in Georgia. Tillery included some of the language around “sanctuary” cities in HB 531 as well.

Religious Freedom, Marijuana and Guns

A Republican effort to pass “religious liberty” legislation is back on track, after a House committee approved Senate Bill 36, sponsored by state Sen. Ed Setzler of Acworth. The measure would limit the government’s ability to pass or enforce laws that conflict with religious beliefs.

Republicans were able to force the proposal through the House Judiciary Committee without changes sought by critics who wanted to include provisions protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination.

Another bill advancing through the General Assembly would expand the availability of drinks containing THC to be licensed at liquor stories, in addition to CBD stores. A House committee voted unanimously to pass the bill.

Democrats have also pushed the General Assembly to enact more restrictions on guns. While the House passed House Bill 79, which would provide a tax credit to gun owners who purchase a locking storage device and other safety accessories, it was amended into a Senate Bill that would provide an 11-day, sales tax-free holiday on guns.

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Staff reporter Mark Niesse contributed to this report.

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