Yasmin Neal

Neal was born and raised in Jonesboro, Georgia, in Clayton County.^[2] She graduated from Jonesboro High School and attended Clayton State University and Valdosta State University before earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from American Military University and a Master of Business Administration in global management from Strayer University.^[2][5]

Before entering politics, Neal worked in law enforcement for the Clayton County Police Department, where she served as a detective in the Major Felony Unit, and later at the Clayton County Sheriff's Department as an internal affairs and fugitive unit investigator.^[5][6]

Neal was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2010 at the age of 25, making her the youngest member of the chamber at the time.^[5][6] She represented the 75th district, which includes parts of Clayton County.^[1]

In February 2012, Neal introduced House Bill 1116, which would have prohibited vasectomies in Georgia unless the procedure was necessary to avert death or serious injury. The bill was a satirical response to HB 954, a Republican-sponsored measure by Representative Doug McKillip that sought to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.^[3] Neal stated that "thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies" and that "it is patently unfair that men can avoid unwanted fatherhood by presuming that their judgment over such matters is more valid than the judgment of the General Assembly."^[3] The bill received widespread national and international media coverage, including interviews on CNN, NPR, and The Rachel Maddow Show.^[4][7][8]

Neal was defeated by Mike Glanton in the Democratic primary for the 75th district in July 2012.^[2]

Neal was re-elected to the Georgia House in 2020, representing the 74th district. Following redistricting, she has represented the 79th district since 2023.^[2]

In July 2021, Governor Brian Kemp signed Neal's HB 236 into law, a measure providing protections for victims of domestic violence.^[5] In 2022, Neal's mental health legislation, HB 571, was included in a mental health omnibus bill signed by the governor.^[5]