Georgia Equality is celebrating the defeat of more than a dozen anti-LGBTQ+ bills as state lawmakers wrapped their legislative session in the early hours of April 3.
In a statement posted to social media, the advocacy group said all anti-LGBTQ+ legislation was halted, including House Bill 54, which would have prevented doctors from prescribing puberty blockers to minors and restricted gender-affirming care for transgender people.
“Despite underhanded tactics being employed in these last couple weeks, over 2,500 of us contacted our legislators and nearly 400 came out to the Capitol to make their voices heard in person,” the social media post said.
The bills that were defeated included:
- SB 30: a bill to restrict access to medical care for trans youth
- SB 39: a bill to deny coverage of medical care for trans people covered by the State Employee Health Benefit Plan
- SB 74: a bill to criminalize librarians sharing LGBTQ+ content
- SB 497: a forced outing bill for LGBTQ+ students
- HB 104 and 267: bills further restricting trans youth from participating in sports
- HB 671: a drag ban
- HB 1210: a bill to create en exemption for non-affirming parents and caretakers to abuse trans youth
“Georgia state leadership fixating on restricting LGBTQ+ rights as their core priority over the past years, we made it clear that scapegoating LGBTQ+ Georgians is not a winning political strategy,” Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham said in a statement. “Georgians want more than culture war distractions; we deserve solutions addressing healthcare access, cost of living, and more affordable housing.”
Graham thanked Georgians who had “tirelessly to defend our LGBTQ+ loved ones, neighbors, and friends.”
Across the nation, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has moved to criminalize transgender bathroom use, degrade marriage equality, and ban books in schools and public libraries. More than 700 anti-transgender bills alone were introduced in 42 states this year.
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