Gov. Kemp signs Riley Gaines Act, making Georgia latest state to ban males from girls’ sports, spaces 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the “Riley Gaines Act” on Monday, officially protecting girls’ and women’s sports and personal spaces from transgender-identifying males.

Senate Bill 1 requires athletes from kindergarten through college to compete on teams according to their biological sex and to use bathroom and changing facilities accordingly.

“As the parents of three daughters, Marty and I know just how important it is to keep our children safe and to give them the best possible start in life,” said the Republican governor, who was accompanied by his wife, Marty, and Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, a Republican, at the bill signing in Atlanta. “Girls should not have to share a playing field, a restroom, or a locker room with boys and vice versa, and the commonsense legislation I signed today is about what is fair and safe for our children.

“I want to thank the members of the General Assembly for putting the well-being of our students over politics. Like Marty and me, they want to protect their daughters and sons, they want them to grow up and compete in a fair environment, and they want their children to know that political agendas won’t dictate their lives.” 

The measure, which takes effect July 1, was named after Gaines, a swimmer who was forced to share an NCAA trophy with a male competitor, William “Lia” Thomas, and has since become an outspoken advocate for fairness in women’s sports. 

Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has helped turn the tide on the issue, signing an executive order banning males from girls’ and women’s sports and threatening to withhold federal dollars from states and schools that don’t comply. The administration has launched investigations into several states, including Maine, which was found in violation of the order and is battling the administration in court. 

This year, multiple states have adopted policies to protect female sports and spaces, with West Virginia also naming its legislation after Gaines. 

“Common sense is making a comeback,” the swimmer posted Monday on X over a picture of Kemp.