Red state Dems walk out over bill banning prisoners’ taxpayer-funded sex changes
Georgia State House Democrats staged a walkout to protest a vote on a bill that would prohibit taxpayer-funded sex change surgeries for inmates. The bill, SB 185, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Randy Robertson, passed on a 100-2 vote, with both recorded no votes coming from Democrats. The legislation bars the Georgia Department of Corrections from providing taxpayer-funded transgender medical treatments, including surgeries and hormonal treatments, to prison inmates. Robertson stated that there are approximately five inmates incarcerated in the DOC who receive these treatments.
The bill is now headed to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for his signature. The decision to walk out by the majority of Democrats in the Georgia State House was met with criticism from Republican House Majority Whip James Burchett, who stated, “This disappointing stunt underscores a troubling disconnect between Democrats and the values of the people they serve.” He added that the Democrats chose to abandon their duties by leaving the chamber instead of debating the merits of the bill.
On the other hand, Democratic House Whip Sam Park defended the walkout, accusing Republicans of playing politics, stating, “Republicans continue to waste time on their manufactured culture wars while Georgians struggle with increasing costs of housing, food, healthcare, and an increasingly uncertain economy due to Republican leadership in D.C.” Park emphasized that Georgia Democrats are focused on fighting for working families, not engaging in political distractions.
The introduction of SB 185 is part of a larger trend in Georgia, where Republicans have introduced several bills this legislative session aligning with President Donald Trump’s executive orders on transgender issues. Some of these bills include blocking taxpayer-funded medical treatments for state employees, prohibitions on prescribing puberty blockers to minors, and a ban on biological males competing in girls high school sports.
If signed into law, SB 185 would prohibit taxpayer-funded sex changes for Georgia prison inmates. The cost of cosmetic or surgical transgender treatments varies, with estimates ranging from $8,000 to $50,000 per procedure. Other states, such as Utah and Kentucky, have also introduced similar bills to ban taxpayer-funded transgender treatments for inmates.
The walkout by Georgia Democrats comes in the wake of Trump’s executive orders rolling back federally-funded “gender ideology” initiatives, defining “sex” strictly as male or female, and prohibiting transgender individuals from using single-sex federally-funded facilities. The orders also prevent federally funded transgender treatments for both inmates and minors and ban biological males from competing in women’s sports.
In response to the walkout, Rep. Houston Gaines, vice chairman of the Georgia House Majority Caucus, criticized the Democrats for abandoning their duty to represent their constituents and engage in the democratic process. He described the walkout as a “disgraceful display of misplaced priorities” and emphasized the importance of lawmakers fulfilling their responsibilities to the people they serve.
The debate over taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for inmates continues to be a contentious issue in Georgia and across the country. As the bill awaits Governor Kemp’s signature, the outcome will have significant implications for the treatment of transgender individuals within the state’s correctional system.
