Georgia’s state House has backed away from changes to the state’s hate crimes law that could have removed protections for crimes against transgender people, even as it moves forward with efforts to put into law restrictions against sports participation for transgender students.
Representatives voted 102-54 for House Bill 267 on Thursday, but only after House leaders on Wednesday stripped out part of the bill that would have changed the hate crimes law that passed in 2020 after the death of Ahmaud Arbery. Democrats Lynn Heffner of Augusta and Dexter Sharper of Valdosta were the only members of the minority party to vote for the bill.
The measure moves to the Senate, which has passed its own separate legislation.
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