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What laws go into effect July 1, 2025?
Dozens of new state laws have gone into effect Tuesday but the legislation likely to take center stage on the campaign trail is the Riley Gaines Act. The law bans biological males from playing in girls’ sports at Georgia schools.
ATLANTA - July 1 is the start of many new laws in Georgia.
New controversial state laws on the books
What we know:
Political analysts believe two new controversial laws centered on transgender rights will be used as political ammunition during the upcoming election season.
The Riley Gaines Act, and a law banning the use of state funds for gender-affirming care for transgender inmates, were among the new state laws that went into effect July 1.
"On a state legislative level, in the U.S. Senate race, and these statewide races where you have legislators running for higher office, you're going to see this being a big divide going into 2026," Robinson Republic's Brian Robinson explained.
What is the Riley Gaines Act?
Dig deeper:
The Riley Gaines Act bars transgender girls from competing on female sports teams in public schools and colleges.
Robinson, who is a political strategist, said the law ensures a level playing field in women's sports.
"This is a matter of great fairness to Georgia girls," Robinson said. "It's also a matter of safety because the boys are bigger, stronger, and that poses a danger to girls on the field of play."
Georgia Democrats expect state Republicans to copy President Trump's playbook in the upcoming election cycle:
"I think that both parties, Democrats and Republicans, came in with a very laser-like focus on the issues that they wanted to try to pass," Paramount Consulting Group CEO Tharon Johnson told FOX 5.
Johnson, who is a Democratic strategist, expects the issue of transgender rights will dominate campaign ads and debates heading into the mid-term elections.
"We did not let these bills define who we are and our commitment to all people, but it will be used in television ads and mail pieces and I'm sure amplified on social media," Johnson explained.
What they're saying:
Georgia Equality spokesperson Noel Heatherland called the law discriminatory and said it singles out an already vulnerable group.
"The laws that politicians put into play, the things and conversations that happen in our nation’s capital and our state capitol they affect families," Heatherland lamented, "They affect our neighbors, they affect our children, in very real ways every day. And kids are scared. They're sad."
The Source: FOX 5's Deidra Dukes spoke with Republican political strategist Brian Robinson, Democrat political strategist Tharon Johnson, and Georgia Equity spokesperson Noel Heatherland.