{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = | image = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives Yasmin Mikila Neal.jpg | office = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives | term_start = January 11, 2021 | term_end = | predecessor = Valencia Stovall | successor = | constituency = 74th district (2021–2023)<br>79th district (2023–present) | term_start1 = January 10, 2011 | term_end1 = January 14, 2013 | predecessor1 = Ron Dodson | successor1 = Mike Glanton | constituency1 = 75th district | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|2|10}} | birth_place = Jonesboro, Georgia, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | education = Clayton State University<br>Valdosta State University<br>American Military University (BA)<br>Strayer University (MBA) | website = https://www.legis.ga.gov/members/house/765?session=1033 }} '''Yasmin Mikila Neal''' (born February 10, 1985) is an American politician serving in the Georgia House of Representatives from the 79th district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented the 75th district from 2011 to 2013 and the 74th district from 2021 to 2023.<ref name="legis">{{cite web |url=https://www.legis.ga.gov/members/house/765?session=22 |title=Representative Yasmin Neal |publisher=Georgia General Assembly |access-date=December 24, 2020}}</ref><ref name="ballotpedia">{{cite web |title=Yasmin Neal |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Yasmin_Neal |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=February 12, 2026}}</ref>
Neal attracted national attention in February 2012 when she introduced HB 1116, a bill that would have banned vasectomies in Georgia except to prevent death or serious bodily harm, as a satirical response to a Republican-backed bill restricting abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |title=Georgia Democrats propose limitations on vasectomies for men |url=https://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/21/georgia-democrats-to-propose-limitations-on-vasectomies-for-men/ |publisher=CNN |date=February 21, 2012 |access-date=February 12, 2026}}</ref><ref name="npr">{{cite news |title=Georgia Lawmaker: Women's Voices Not Being Heard |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/03/05/147968810/georgia-lawmaker-womens-voices-not-being-heard |publisher=NPR |date=March 5, 2012 |access-date=February 12, 2026}}</ref>
== Early life and career == Neal was born and raised in Jonesboro, Georgia, in Clayton County.<ref name="ballotpedia"/> 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.<ref name="ballotpedia"/><ref name="gawinlist">{{cite web |title=HD 79 – Yasmin Neal |url=https://gawinlist.com/hd-74-yasmin-neal/ |website=Georgia WIN List |access-date=February 12, 2026}}</ref>
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.<ref name="gawinlist"/><ref name="apn">{{cite web |url=http://atlantaprogressivenews.com/2014/05/13/former-state-rep-yasmin-neal-candidate-questionnaire/ |title=Former State Rep. Yasmin Neal Candidate Questionnaire |publisher=Atlanta Progressive News |date=May 13, 2014 |access-date=December 24, 2020}}</ref>
== Georgia House of Representatives ==
=== First term (2011–2013) === 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.<ref name="gawinlist"/><ref name="apn"/> She represented the 75th district, which includes parts of Clayton County.<ref name="legis"/>
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.<ref name="cnn"/> 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."<ref name="cnn"/> The bill received widespread national and international media coverage, including interviews on CNN, NPR, and ''The Rachel Maddow Show''.<ref name="npr"/><ref name="esquire">{{cite web |last=Pierce |first=Charles P. |title=Georgia Vasectomy Bill – First Cut Is the Deepest |url=https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a12852/georgia-vasectomy-bill-6814233/ |magazine=Esquire |date=February 22, 2012 |access-date=February 12, 2026}}</ref><ref name="huffpost">{{cite web |title=Georgia Democrats Seek Vasectomy Ban in Response to Abortion Bill |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/22/georgia-vasectomy-ban_n_1293369.html |website=HuffPost |date=February 22, 2012 |access-date=February 12, 2026}}</ref>
Neal was defeated by Mike Glanton in the Democratic primary for the 75th district in July 2012.<ref name="ballotpedia"/>
=== Return to the House (2021–present) === Neal was re-elected to the Georgia House in 2020, representing the 74th district. Following redistricting, she has represented the 79th district since 2023.<ref name="ballotpedia"/>
In July 2021, Governor Brian Kemp signed Neal's HB 236 into law, a measure providing protections for victims of domestic violence.<ref name="gawinlist"/> In 2022, Neal's mental health legislation, HB 571, was included in a mental health omnibus bill signed by the governor.<ref name="gawinlist"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ga-hs}} {{s-bef | before = Ron Dodson }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives<br>from the 75th district | years = 2011–2013 }} {{s-aft | after = Mike Glanton }} |- {{s-bef | before = Valencia Stovall }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives<br>from the 74th district | years = 2021–2023 }} {{s-aft | after = Karen Mathiak }} |- {{s-bef | before = Mike Wilensky }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives<br>from the 79th district | years = 2023–present }} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{Georgia House of Representatives}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neal, Yasmin}} Category:1985 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Democratic Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives Category:Living people Category:People from Jonesboro, Georgia Category:Strayer University alumni Category:Women state legislators in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:21st-century members of the Georgia General Assembly