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GeorgiaSB 12025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

'Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act'; enact

Sponsored By: John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican), Jason T. Dickerson (Republican), Timothy Bearden (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican), Max Burns (Republican), Bill Cowsert (Republican), Clint Dixon (Republican), Greg Dolezal (Republican), Drew Echols (Republican), Frank Ginn (Republican), Steve Gooch (Republican), Russ Goodman (Republican), Marty Harbin (Republican), Bo Hatchett (Republican), Billy Hickman (Republican), Mike Hodges (Republican), Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Steven McNeel (Republican), Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Lanny Thomas (Republican), Chuck Payne (Republican), Randy Robertson (Republican), Shawn Still (Republican), Brian Strickland (Republican), Blake Tillery (Republican), Larry Walker (Republican), Ben Watson (Republican), Sam Watson (Republican)

Became Law

EducationEducation and YouthGeneral Bill

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

8 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.

College scholarships and funding tied to compliance

Male college students cannot receive athletic scholarships set aside for female team members. The state may withhold money from colleges that break these rules, including school funds and student scholarships, loans, and grants.

College sports limited by sex-based rules

College teams are labeled male or female. Male students cannot compete on female teams. Female students cannot compete on male teams unless no female team exists. Colleges must keep multi‑occupancy restrooms, changing areas, and sleeping quarters separated by sex. Single‑occupancy options are allowed, but you may not use opposite‑sex areas while members of that sex are present. Colleges in this state cannot host or join competitions that allow a male to compete on a female team or to use female multi‑occupancy facilities during the event.

College students can sue over violations

Any college student harmed by a violation or retaliation can sue. You can seek a court order and money for physical, emotional, or psychological harm. If you win, you can recover attorney’s fees, court costs, and expenses. You must file within two years of the harm.

K-12 students can sue over violations

Any K-12 student harmed by a violation or retaliation can sue. You can ask the court to stop the harm and seek money for physical, emotional, or psychological injury. If you win, you can recover attorney’s fees, court costs, and expenses. You must file within two years of the harm.

K-12 sports oversight and complaints

Schools must make reasonable efforts to give boys and girls equal sports chances, considering equipment, practice time, travel, coaches, facilities, medical care, and publicity. Each school names a compliance officer, gives annual notice, and must issue written complaint decisions in 30 days, with appeals decided in 35 days. The statewide athletic group meets at least twice a year, can audit and investigate, and may set a uniform ban on males in female events. If a district willfully ignores a required plan, the State Board can bar postseason play and withhold state funds.

Sex-based team rules for K-12

Schools must label each interscholastic team as male, female, or coed. Male students cannot play on female teams. Female students cannot play on male teams unless no female team exists. Coed teams are open to any student. If a school runs only one sex’s team and the other sex had limited chances before, those students must be allowed to try out, unless the sport is a contact sport.

No visual inspections to verify sex

Schools and athletic groups cannot verify a student’s sex by looking at external sex organs. They may use medical records or standard school medical procedures instead.

Sex-separated school facilities and trips

Schools may provide separate restrooms, locker rooms, showers, and sleeping areas by sex for competitions. Multiple‑occupancy spaces are for one sex at a time. Schools must offer reasonable single‑occupancy options and may not allow opposite‑sex access while members of that sex are present. On overnight trips, students share rooms with the same sex or get single rooms. Opposite‑sex sharing is allowed only with an immediate family member.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

  • John Albers

    Republican • Senate

  • Jason Anavitarte

    Republican • Senate

  • Lee Anderson

    Republican • Senate

  • Jason T. Dickerson

    Republican • Senate

  • Timothy Bearden

    Republican • Senate

  • Matt Brass

    Republican • Senate

  • Max Burns

    Republican • Senate

  • Bill Cowsert

    Republican • Senate

  • Clint Dixon

    Republican • Senate

  • Greg Dolezal

    Republican • Senate

  • Drew Echols

    Republican • Senate

  • Frank Ginn

    Republican • Senate

  • Steve Gooch

    Republican • Senate

  • Russ Goodman

    Republican • Senate

  • Marty Harbin

    Republican • Senate

  • Bo Hatchett

    Republican • Senate

  • Billy Hickman

    Republican • Senate

  • Mike Hodges

    Republican • Senate

  • Chuck Hufstetler

    Republican • Senate

  • Steven McNeel

    Republican • Senate

  • Kay Kirkpatrick

    Republican • Senate

  • Lanny Thomas

    Republican • Senate

  • Chuck Payne

    Republican • Senate

  • Randy Robertson

    Republican • Senate

  • Shawn Still

    Republican • Senate

  • Brian Strickland

    Republican • Senate

  • Blake Tillery

    Republican • Senate

  • Larry Walker

    Republican • Senate

  • Ben Watson

    Republican • Senate

  • Sam Watson

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Josh Bonner

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 242 • No: 237

House vote • 3/31/2025

PASSAGE

Yes: 100 • No: 64

Senate vote • 3/31/2025

AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE AS AMENDED

Yes: 17 • No: 37

Senate vote • 3/31/2025

AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

Yes: 34 • No: 20

Senate vote • 2/6/2025

ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #3 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 44TH

Yes: 19 • No: 33

Senate vote • 2/6/2025

ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #2 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 41ST

Yes: 18 • No: 34

Senate vote • 2/6/2025

ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #1 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 22ND

Yes: 19 • No: 32

Senate vote • 2/6/2025

PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE

Yes: 35 • No: 17

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective Date

    7/1/2025

  2. Senate Date Signed by Governor

    4/28/2025Senate

  3. Act 11

    4/28/2025

  4. Senate Sent to Governor

    4/7/2025Senate

  5. House Third Readers

    3/31/2025House

  6. House Passed/Adopted By Substitute

    3/31/2025House

  7. Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub

    3/31/2025Senate

  8. House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

    3/25/2025House

  9. House Second Readers

    2/11/2025House

  10. House First Readers

    2/10/2025House

  11. Senate Third Read

    2/6/2025Senate

  12. Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute

    2/6/2025Senate

  13. Senate Read Second Time

    2/4/2025Senate

  14. Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

    2/3/2025Senate

  15. Senate Read and Referred

    1/14/2025Senate

  16. Senate Hopper

    1/13/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • SB 1/AP* (v16)

    PDF

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