All Anti-LGBTQ Legislation Defeated in Georgia as 2026 Session Ends

"Scapegoating LGBTQ+ Georgians is not a winning political strategy," said Georgia Equality's executive director.

Thomas Cizauskas // Creative Commons

Wave after wave of anti-LGBT bills swept through Georgia this legislative cycle, but according to one state civil rights organization, every single one of them failed.

“After a late night at the Capitol to finish out the 2026 legislative session, we could not be more excited to share that WE DID IT!” announced Georgia Equality on Bluesky. “We successfully defeated ALL of the nearly 15 pieces of anti-LGBTQ legislation!”

Georgia Equality tracked 2,500 Peach State residents who contacted their legislators and nearly 400 who trekked to the Capitol to fight for LGBTQ rights over the last few weeks.

“This session, we stopped every bill targeting LGBTQ Georgians, even in spite of underhanded political maneuvers,” said Jeff Graham, the group’s executive director, in a statement on April 3.

“Thousands of Georgians from over 60 counties came together to successfully defeat every last one. Despite state leadership fixating on restricting LGBTQ+ rights as their core priority over the past years, we made it clear that scapegoating LGBTQ+ Georgians is not a winning political strategy.”

There was HB 54, which began as a bill on home health care workers, only to be hijacked by Republicans and twisted into an attempted ban on puberty blockers to treat transgender youth.

There was the Riley Gaines Act, named for an anti-trans activist whose political career was launched after tying for fifth place in a college swim meet with a trans woman; that failed bill would have forced trans students out of the changing rooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.

There was SB 74, which could have criminalized librarians who provided LGBTQ books to minors.

According to the local news blog Rough Draft Atlanta, other anti-trans measures that tanked included a forced outing bill for queer students, a drag ban, and a bill to create an exemption for non-affirming parents and caretakers to abuse trans youth.

“Victory is a great feeling,” added an organizer at Georgia Equality, Noel Heatherland. “Thank you to everyone who worked with us to protect LGBTQ+ people during this session.”

Graham added that this was a sign that “Georgians want more than culture war distractions.”

“We deserve solutions addressing healthcare access, cost of living, and more affordable housing,” Graham said. “This result is a credit to every Georgian who worked tirelessly to defend our LGBTQ+ loved ones, neighbors, and friends. We believe that the tide is turning not just here in Georgia, but across the country.”

The Georgia Constitution prohibits the legislature from meeting for more than 40 legislative days each year, so the governing body will not resume for a regular session until 2027. Gov. Brian Kemp has 40 days to sign or veto legislation passed during this session. The Governor may also call emergency special sessions—a move that has been used by some conservative governors to anti-trans ends.