Advocates expect continued attack on LGBTQ+ rights during 2026 state legislative session

With several pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation already passed into law, legal battles that will extend into the new year, and an upcoming election for state lawmakers, LGBTQ+ advocates are expecting a difficult legislative session in 2026.

When lawmakers return to the Gold Dome on Jan. 12, organizations like Georgia Equality and the Human Rights Campaign will be going with them to advocate against expected legislation targeting school curriculum, gender-affirming health care, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Passed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation up in the air in 2026

Three pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation were passed in 2025: SB36, which could effectively prohibit the government from intervening on discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and religious minorities; SB185, which bans gender affirming care for incarcerated people; and SB1, which bans transgender girls and women from participating on women’s sports teams in middle schools, high school, and college sports

Related story: Georgia governor signs ‘religious freedom’ bill, vowing the state still is ‘no place for hate’

SB185 is currently not in effect after being blocked by a federal judge for violating the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. However, Attorney General Chris Carr’s office filed an appeal on the ruling and has said they will fight the case all the way to the Supreme Court. Bentley Hudgins, the Georgia State Director of HRC, told Georgia Voice that the state has already spent over $4 million in legal fees on SB185.  

The future of SB1 also hangs in the balance ahead of a Supreme Court decision on Jan. 13. In Little v. Hecox, SCOTUS will determine whether these kinds of trans bans in sports violate the equal protection clause of the 14^th Amendment.  

LGBTQ+ advocates expect “cruelty” during 2026 session

Hudgins and Jeff Graham, the Executive Director of LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Georgia Equality, told Georgia Voice that they expect to see a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ bills in 2026, both leftover from last session and newly introduced, targeting school curriculum and LGBTQ+ books in schools; gender-affirming care for trans youth; DEI initiatives; voting access; and gender-affirming coverage in health care benefits for transgender state employees.

With 2026 being an election year for state legislators, Hudgins says they also expect “cruelty” from Republican lawmakers who will continue to scapegoat the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups.

“A lot of people in the state legislature are running for higher office or running for reelection,” Hudgins said. “There are people in the state legislature that, instead of focusing on making life better, they figure out ways to sow division.”

Pro-equality advocacy persists in 2026, though not without challenges

Both Georgia Equality and HRC will be advocating for legislation that will expand access to PrEP and other HIV prevention (which Graham says has bipartisan support and will likely move through the legislature quickly, address funding equity in girls’ sports, develop affordable and accessible housing, and expand Medicaid.

“A lot of folks feel that with the passage of H.R.1, the Big Beautiful Bill, last year the fight for Medicaid expansion is over,” Graham said. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Related story: How will Georgia manage changes to SNAP and Medicaid rules? State leaders are figuring it out 

However, Hudgins was honest about the nature of this kind of advocacy work right now: it’s difficult.

“We tried every single way to provide constructive options to the problems that people mentioned. When people felt like they needed protection against discrimination, whether it was religious or whatever, we had language ready, we offered anti-discrimination bills, and they said no,” Hudgings said. “… We came up with actual solutions that didn’t involve attacking people.” 

“What people outside the policy world don’t know is just how bad it is,” they continued, “and how hard people like myself and allied lawmakers are trying to make life better, but [Republican lawmakers] refuse to let us talk about solutions.”

How to get involved

When it comes to how Georgians can influence what legislation is championed and passed, both Graham and Hudgins were in agreement: communicate directly with your lawmakers. Both LGBTQ+ advocates encouraged Georgians to go to the Capitol to share their stories with their elected officials.  

“One of the things that I appreciate the most about working on these issues here in Georgia is that our legislators are actually incredibly accessible, and despite the challenges that exist… there is no force as powerful as the voices of people speaking to their elected officials,” Graham said. “… When their constituents reach out to them, they don’t always agree, but they do pay attention.” 

Both Georgia Equality and HRC also have training programs coming up in the new year to better prepare people for how the legislative process works and how to effectively communicate with lawmakers. Applications are open now through Jan. 5 for HRC’s 2026 Georgia Legislative Leaders Cohort, which will provide free and comprehensive training for new and emerging advocacy leaders. Georgia Equality will also host a legislative advocacy training session on Jan. 24 at 11:30 a.m. virtually and in person at Neighborhood Church ATL.

HRC, Georgia Equality, and other advocacy groups like the ACLU will be at the Capitol on Jan. 12 and invite people to join them. Learn more and sign up to volunteer here. To learn more about HRC and Georgia Equality, visit hrc.org/georgia and georgiaequality.org.