All but two Democrats in the Georgia State House walked off the floor to avoid voting on a bill to ban taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for inmates. (Fox 5 Atlanta)
"This disappointing stunt underscores a troubling disconnect between Democrats and the values of the people they serve," Republican House Majority Whip James Burchett told Fox News Digital. "They knew they had no response to the substance of the bill. So, rather than debate its merits, they chose to abandon their duties by leaving the chamber."
However, Democratic House Whip Sam Park contended it was Republicans playing politics, not Democrats.
"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 said. "We walked out to make it clear: Georgia Democrats are here to fight for working families, not political distractions."
TRANS INMATE IN PRISON FOR KILLING BABY MUST GET GENDER SURGERY AT 'EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY': JUDGE
Georgia Republicans have taken an aggressive approach toward transgender issues this legislative session with the introduction of several bills that seek to align with President Donald Trump's executive orders.
Some of those bills, in addition to SB 185, 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.
Sunlight reflects off of the golden dome of the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta Aug. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
In January and February 2025, Trump signed executive orders rolling back federally-funded "gender ideology" initiatives. These orders define "sex" strictly as male or female, mandate federal agencies to conform to this definition and prohibit transgender individuals from using single-sex federally-funded facilities. They also prevent federally funded transgender treatments for both inmates and minors and ban biological males from competing in women's sports.
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"Yesterday’s walkout by Georgia Democrats during a vote to ban taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgeries for prisoners is a disgraceful display of misplaced priorities," Rep. Houston Gaines, vice chairman of the Georgia House Majority Caucus, said.
"By storming out of the legislative session, these lawmakers abandoned their duty to represent their constituents and engage in the democratic process, all to grandstand over an issue that most Georgians find absurd."
Jamie Joseph is a U.S. Politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering transgender and culture issues, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, and stateside legislative developments.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ban-taxpayer-funded-sex-changes-prisoners-sparks-dem-walkout-georgia-house-vote