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February 24, 2025 Edition
Our values are winning at the Capitol!
Highlighted by the passage of The Riley Gaines Act in House Education Committee, we are seeing tremendous progress for pro-family values and for our organization.
This week is pivotal at the Capitol. It will serve as the final major push before Crossover Day, the critical deadline for bills to pass their Chamber of origin and continue moving forward this session. We are working tirelessly to ensure our priorities and key legislation advances, pressing for final committee approvals and securing the votes needed for success.
Your prayers and support are making a difference. We are seeing momentum build, and with God’s guidance, we are seizing every opportunity to achieve substantial victories for Georgia. See below for important updates:
The Riley Gaines Act Passes, Marks a Rarity, and Makes Headlines
On Wednesday, February 19th, HB 267, the Riley Gaines Act, sponsored by Representative Josh Bonner, took a step forward by passing the House Education Subcommittee. This bill ensures integrity and safety for our girls by prohibiting males from competing in female-designated sports or accessing female private spaces, changing areas, etcetera. During the hearing, we successfully introduced multiple amendments that further strengthened the bill—all of which were adopted.
Then, on Friday, I sat alongside Representative Bonner as he presented the bill before the full committee, ready to support him should any legal questions about the legislation arise.
In a major moment for this legislation, Speaker Jon Burns himself addressed the committee and underscored the importance of the Riley Gaines Act. Our President, Cole Muzio, remarked that he had seen this happen only one other time - making this a rarity that should catch everyone’s attention. We appreciate Speaker Burns making this a top priority for his leadership, and we are incredibly grateful for the Speaker and Representative Josh Bonner’s bold stance and for the commitment of the General Assembly in addressing this crucial issue.
Our friend, Riley Gaines, present via Zoom, delivered a powerful testimony, sharing firsthand about the dangers of allowing biological males into women’s sports and spaces. She applauded Georgia for making clear that this legislation is not just necessary—it’s long overdue.
During her testimony, Riley emphasized:
“Thankfully we are making progress as a country, but Georgia still has a responsibility to codify sex-based words and a law that keeps men out of women’s sports. The Riley Gaines Act achieves both of these objectives—in fact, it actually goes a step further by replacing gender with sex when improperly used throughout Georgia Code to ensure that no judge, no unelected bureaucrat can misinterpret your statutes. I urge you all to pass the Riley Gaines Act and stand with over 5 million women and girls in Georgia. It is time Georgia defines what a woman is and protects its female athletes.”
With the passage of HB 267 in both the subcommittee and full committee Georgia is now one step closer to protecting female athletes and upholding the original intent of Title IX. But the fight isn’t over. We need continued bold leadership to ensure this bill clears its final hurdles and becomes law. Girls across Georgia deserve nothing less.
See our full testimony at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSaMPehPahA&t=1200s
See bill language at: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69927
As a reminder, Frontline is also grateful for Sen. Greg Dolezal, who led the charge to pass SB1. He and Lt. Governor Burt Jones held hearings over the summer on this issue and made it their first one to tackle this session. Our team is here to work with both Chambers to ensure the strongest language possible eventually becomes law.
We continue to dialogue with both the House and Senate and are confident this issue gets done!
What’s Happening with RFRA: The Latest and How to Engage
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) has long been a priority for many across Georgia, and now is the time for action. SB 36, sponsored by Senator Ed Setzler, has been introduced and is currently awaiting a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill is a critical step toward ensuring that Georgia upholds and protects the religious freedoms of its citizens, businesses, and faith-based organizations—whether in the workplace, healthcare, or everyday life.
Georgia is currently behind other states that have already passed RFRA protections, providing their citizens with the legal safeguards needed to live out their faith without fear of government overreach or discrimination.
Frontline has called on the Georgia General Assembly RFRA a top priority this session, and we are educating legislators and urging them to ensure that SB 36 is heard in committee, brought to the floor for a full vote in both Chambers, and signed into law.
We encourage you to get involved—reach out to your legislators and ask them to support SB 36. It’s critical to push for a commitment to vote and protect the religious freedoms of all Georgians.
See bill language at: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69556
HB 171 Passes Sub-Committee with Key Improvements
We are thrilled to share that HB 171, sponsored by Representative Brad Thomas, has passed House Judiciary, Non-Civil Committee by substitute, incorporating critical improvements based on our testimony and recommendations. This bill combats AI-generated obscene content depicting minors and ensures Georgia’s laws keep pace with evolving technology. It was a privilege to work alongside Rep. Brad Thomas and the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee to refine HB 171, ensuring it upholds the bill’s intent while preserving Georgia’s strong obscenity laws and effectively combating AI-generated child exploitation. The revised substitute reflects our recommended language and code placement, strengthening protections without weakening existing laws. Thanks to Rep. Thomas’s leadership and the committee’s diligent work, this critical legislation is moving forward, and we look forward to its passage on the House floor!
Watch committee meeting at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zy239cwvs4&list=PLIgKJe7_xdLXAYvMCQvxSlgF_akOVrMnq&index=95 See bill language at: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69648
Kemp’s #1 Priority: Tort Reform
Governor Brian Kemp’s top priority for the 2025 legislative session is tackling tort reform which made significant progress on Friday when Senate Bill 68 passed the Georgia Senate with a vote of 33-21. The vote was mostly along party lines, with one Republican, Colton Moore, joining the Democrats and a single Democrat, Emmanuel Jones, siding with the Republicans.
Sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem John Kennedy, the bill is part of a broader effort to reform the state’s tort system, aiming to stabilize insurance premiums and reduce lawsuit costs for businesses and consumers across Georgia.
The reform package focuses on several key changes, including stricter standards for property owner liability, limiting the ability to double-charge for attorney’s fees, and introducing bifurcated trials to separate the determination of liability from damages. One of the bill’s most significant provisions ensures that juries only see the actual medical costs paid by plaintiffs rather than inflated “phantom” damages, addressing concerns that juries were awarding higher amounts based on inflated medical bills.
The bill now moves to the Georgia House for further debate, where Governor Kemp continues to advocate for its swift passage.
Watch Senate floor debate: https://vimeo.com/showcase/9076378?video=1058702220 See bill language at: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69756
Closing Loopholes & Protecting Georgians from Dangerous & Unregulated THC Products (SB 33)
On Thursday, we were proud to support SB 33, sponsored by Senator Kay Kirkpatrick, M.D., aimed at closing the dangerous Delta THC loophole and addressing safety issues across Georgia. The bill addresses a serious gap in current law that allows hemp-derived high THC products, such as Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC, to be sold without proper regulation. These products have effectively been given de facto recreational legalization status in Georgia, even though they can be far more harmful than recreational marijuana due to the lack of age restrictions and regulations.
SB 33 closes this loophole by regulating the total THC concentration in hemp products, rather than just the Delta-9 THC levels. This ensures that products with Delta-8 THC concentrations over 0.3% will be illegal to sell, and they will no longer be available to consumers under the age of 21. We are grateful to Senator Kirkpatrick for her leadership in championing this important bill and for her dedication to protecting Georgia’s citizens from unregulated and dangerous THC products. SB 33 passed the Senate Health committee unanimously—a testament to the broad recognition of its importance.
Watch committee meeting at: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8821984/video/1058731308 See bill language at: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69550
“Freedom of Speech and Belief Act” Passes Senate Committee (SB 57)
Georgians deserve the right to access financial institutions and utilities that support their livelihood without facing discrimination for their personal beliefs or opinions. Senator Tillery’s SB 57 seeks to address this issue by protecting Georgians from discriminatory debanking practices. The bill ensures that financial and utility services cannot be denied based on political or religious beliefs.
In 2024, states like Florida and Tennessee enacted similar "debanking" laws, and Georgia has the opportunity to join them in defending constitutional freedoms and ensuring individuals are not penalized for their beliefs.
We were proud to support SB 57, and appreciate the testimony from Marty Daniel, owner of the well-known Georgia business Daniel Defense, who shared his personal experience of being "debanked" due to his political and constitutional views. This bill aligns with our commitment to defending free speech and belief, and we look forward to seeing it advance. We testified in support of SB 57, and the bill passed the Senate Judiciary 7-5.
See our full testimony at: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8821960/video/1058352165 See bill language at: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69635
SB 79, “Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act” (FEAR), Passes Senate Judiciary Committee Unanimously
As many of us are aware, fentanyl-related deaths continue to rise across the nation. In response, SB 79, sponsored by Senator Russ Goodman and a priority bill for Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, seeks to build upon the foundation of Drew’s Law from 2022. This bill aims to lower the threshold for trafficking fentanyl, acknowledging that even small quantities can be lethal due to the drug's extreme potency. It targets dangerous legal loopholes, ensuring that law enforcement can act on smaller amounts of fentanyl while strengthening penalties for traffickers.
Fentanyl is often mixed into counterfeit pills or street drugs without users’ knowledge, contributing to the alarming spike in overdose deaths. SB 79 addresses this by imposing harsher penalties on those who manufacture and distribute fentanyl, further deterring trafficking. We are grateful to Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and Senator Russ Goodman for this important legislation, and to Jack Winne, the Chief ADA of Coweta County, for collaborating with the Lieutenant Governor’s office on the bill’s language. SB 79 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously on Thursday, marking an important step in Georgia’s ongoing efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis.
See our full testimony at https://vimeo.com/showcase/8821960/video/1058352165 See bill language at: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69811
Legislative Quick Updates:
HB 192 - Sponsored by Representative Matt Gambill and a Governor Kemp priority, passed the House 155-1 on Friday. This bill adds high-demand career programs to the State Board of Education’s curriculum for grades 6-12, aligning career education with in-demand job sectors. The bill also enhances the evaluation and reporting process for the State Workforce Development Board, strengthening Georgia’s workforce and expanding opportunities for students.
HB 205 - Sponsored by Representative David Clark requires Georgia to create a list of approved drones for government use, ensuring compliance with federal security standards and effectively blocking drones made by or influenced by foreign adversaries. HB 205 passed the House 162-1 on Friday and protects state agencies from cybersecurity threats, prevents foreign surveillance risks, and strengthens emergency response operations across our state.
SB 28 - Sponsored by Senator Greg Dolezal and introduced as a priority by Lt. Governor Burt Jones, the Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025 builds on efforts from 2024 to reduce burdensome regulations and expand economic opportunities for Georgians. The bill requires state agencies to conduct regular reviews of their regulations, assess economic impacts, and reduce compliance burdens on small businesses when feasible. On February 19, the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee voted 7-4 to advance the bill, marking a significant step toward regulatory reform.
SB 102 - Sponsored by Senator Randy Robertson strengthens Georgia's laws against animal fighting, specifically targeting dogfighting and gamecock fighting. It imposes stricter penalties for these activities, along with the possession, sale, or use of related objects, thereby combating illegal gambling linked to the betting often associated with such fights. SB 102 passed the Senate 49-3 on Thursday.
SB 123 - Sponsored by Senator John F. Kennedy addresses Georgia’s school attendance laws by making sure students can’t be expelled just for missing school and by creating plans to help those who are chronically absent. This bill helps our education system as it focuses on getting students back on track instead of punishing them, helping improve school attendance and overall student success.
SB 126 - Sponsored by Senator Clint Dixon lowers the age of eligibility for enrollment in completion special schools from 18 to 16, giving younger students who have dropped out a chance to re-enroll and continue their education. This provides those who may have fallen behind or dropped out earlier an opportunity to catch up, earn their diploma, and get back on track for a successful future, supporting career readiness. SB 126 passed the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday.
ALL FRONTLINE ENDORSED BILLS (to date):
SB 1 - “Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act” sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal. (Passed Senate)
SB 9 - “Ensuring Accountability for Illegal AI Activities Act” sponsored by Sen. John Albers (Passed Senate Judiciary Committee)
SB 17 - “Ricky and Alyssa's Law” sponsored by Sen. Jason Anavitarte (Passed Senate Education and Youth Committee)
SB 21 - Tightens up illegal immigration enforcement sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Passed Senate)
SB 22 - Improves government transparency and education accountability sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Passed Senate Education & Youth Committee)
SB 28 - “Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025” sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal (Passed Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee)
SB 30 - Prohibits the use of hormone treatments in minors for purposes of gender transition, sponsored by Sen. Ben Watson (Passed Senate Health and Human Services Committee)
SB 36 - Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), sponsored by Sen. Ed Setzler (Awaiting Senate Judiciary Committee Approval)
SB 39 - Prevents tax payer dollars from funding gender affirming surgeries, sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Passed Senate)
SB 57 - The “Freedom of Speech and Belief Act” sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Passed Senate Judiciary Committee)
SB 72 - “Hope for Georgia Patients Act" sponsored by Sen. Matt Brass (Passed Senate Health & Human Services Committee)
SB 74 - Eliminating protection for libraries when dealing with harmful materials sponsored by Sen. Max Burns (Awaiting Senate Education & Youth Committee Approval)
SB 79 - “Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act" sponsored by Sen. Russ Goodman (Passed Senate Judiciary Committee)
SB 89 - Childcare tax credit sponsored Sen. Brian Strickland (Passed Senate)
SB 91 - Addressing conflicts of interest in the management of pharmacy benefits sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Passed Senate Health and Human Services Committee)
SB 102 - Dogfighting sponsored by Sen. Randy Robertson (Passed Senate)
SB 120 - Eliminating state-funded DEI initiatives at public educational institutions sponsored by Sen. Marty Harbin (Awaiting Senate Higher Education Committee Approval)
SB 123 - Addresses compulsory attendance sponsored by Senator John F. Kennedy (Passed Senate Education & Youth Committee)
SB 126 - Lowering the age of eligibility for enrollment in completion special schools sponsored by Senator Clint Dixon (Passed Senate Education & Youth Committee)
SB 185 - Prohibit the use of state funds or resources for gender-reassignment treatments for state inmates sponsored by Sen. Randy Robertson (Awaiting Senate Public Safety Committee Approval)
HB 133 - “Student Character Development Act” sponsored by Rep. David Clark (Awaiting House Education Committee Approval)
HB 150 - “Combating Threats from Foreign Countries of Concern Act of 2025" sponsored by Rep. Tim Fleming (Passed House Higher Education Committee)
HB 171 - Closing loophole on distributing AI obscene material depicting a child sponsored by Rep. Brad Thomas (Passed House Judiciary Non-Civil Subcommittee)
HB 192 - Adding high-demand career programs to the State Board of Education’s curriculum sponsored by Rep. Matt Gambill (Passed House)
HB 205 - Government drone regulation and cybersecurity protection sponsored by Rep. David Clark (Passed House)
HB 217 - Establishing the Dual Achievement Program as a permanent state initiative sponsored by Rep. Soo Hong (Passed House Higher Education Committee)
HB 260 - Increasing the statewide homestead exemption from property taxes for state, county, and certain school purposes from $2,000 to $5,000 sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves (Awaiting House Ways & Means Committee Approval)
HB 267 - The “Riley Gaines Act” sponsored by Rep. Josh Bonner (Passed House Education Committee)
If you are interested in testifying or joining our Legislative Advocacy Team please reply to this email!
Also, for legislators and allies, please contact me to let me know if you request Frontline’s endorsement for a particular piece of legislation. While we monitor all bills that have been introduced, there may be legislation that we are open to supporting that are not currently on our list.
Heartbeat Law Victory Update: Georgia Supreme Court Sends Case Back for Further Review
In a significant legal development, the Georgia Supreme Court recently vacated a lower court ruling that temporarily blocked the state's "Heartbeat Law," which bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The court's decision on Thursday sends the case back to Fulton County Superior Court for a reassessment of the plaintiffs' legal standing.
The "Heartbeat Law," signed by Governor Brian Kemp in 2019, was implemented in July 2022 following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. This law protects the lives of unborn children by prohibiting abortions once a detectable heartbeat is present, typically around 6 weeks.
This recent ruling emphasizes a shift in Georgia's legal framework, as the Georgia Supreme Court's Wasserman v. Franklin County decision now eliminates third-party standing in state courts. This means that challengers to the law—such as abortion rights groups—must now demonstrate they have legal standing to sue based on their own rights, rather than asserting the rights of others.
We are encouraged by this ruling, as it further solidifies the protections afforded to the unborn and aligns with the constitutional principle that only those directly affected by a law should have the ability to challenge it in court. While we remain prayerful that the case will be dismissed and the law upheld, we continue to stand firm in our belief that every life is worthy of protection. In this pivotal moment, we are reminded of the importance of continued prayer and advocacy for policies that protect the innocent and defend the most vulnerable among us.
Event Featuring Former Planned Parenthood Director Turned Pro-Life Leader
We are excited to share about a special event on March 2nd, hosted by “LIV” led by Suzanne Guy, a dear friend and advocate of Frontline. This inspiring evening will feature Dr. Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood Director turned pro-life leader, alongside other church leaders who are making a difference in the fight for the sanctity of life and supporting families in crisis. Enjoy a reception with desserts, snacks, coffee, and drinks, plus time for fellowship, photos, and more. Bring your friends, family, and church groups to this meaningful event, and don’t forget to RSVP by emailing Suzanne Guy at [email protected]. See more details below:
