Ban on taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners sparks Dem walkout in Georgia House vote

The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's desk for his signature.

"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."

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.

"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."