Georgia enacts ‘Riley Gaines Act’ banning biological males from women’s sports
SB 1 signed by Gov. Brian Kemp; Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Riley Gaines support the law
ATLANTA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed Senate Bill 1, known as the Riley Gaines Act of 2025, into law. The bill bans biological males from participating in women’s sports at public schools and colleges across the state.
The legislation was named after Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and outspoken advocate for preserving women’s sports, who said she was “forced to compete against a man” during a 2022 swimming competition in Georgia.
The bill was a legislative priority for Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who created the Senate Special Committee on the Protection of Women’s Sports to develop policy recommendations. SB 1 was sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal and passed during the 2025 legislative session.
“As the father of a female athlete – nothing is more important than ensuring that the protection of women’s sports is a reality in Georgia,” Lt. Gov. Jones said in a statement. “With Senate Bill 1 becoming law, the protection of women’s sports is now a reality for all female athletes in Georgia.”
Riley Gaines, now the host of a sports podcast and a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the NCAA, also praised the legislation in a news release from the Lt. Gov. Jones’ office. “Three years after I, and dozens of other D1 female athletes, were forced to compete against a man in a Georgia pool, the Riley Gaines Act of 2025 is now law,” she said. “Thanks to Governor Kemp’s signature and the leadership of the Georgia legislature… Georgia has defined ‘woman’ in law and protected women’s sports.”
With the passage of SB 1, Georgia joins 26 other states that have adopted similar laws restricting transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports. Supporters argue the legislation protects fairness and competitive integrity for female athletes. Opponents have argued such laws target and marginalize transgender youth.
The full text of Senate Bill 1 is available via the Georgia General Assembly’s website: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69274.
