SR444: SR444 Senate Civil Rights Protections Study Committee; create

Georgia currently lacks comprehensive state civil rights laws covering discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and public services. This resolution responds to that by creating a temporary Senate study committee to look into the issue. The committee will have five Senate members appointed by the President of the Senate, who also names the chairperson. Its job is to review Georgia's existing anti-discrimination laws, study data on discrimination, look at how other states and the federal government handle civil rights protections, and weigh the impact of any potential new law on businesses, government agencies, and affected communities. Members receive standard legislative allowances for up to five meeting days unless more are approved, funded through the Senate's budget. If the committee approves findings or recommendations, the chairperson must file a report before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the Senate Civil Rights Protections Study Committee made up of five senators appointed by the President of the Senate.
• Directs the committee to review Georgia's current anti-discrimination laws and identify gaps in coverage for employment, housing, public accommodations, and public services.
• Instructs the committee to study enforcement tools, such as state agency roles, private lawsuits, and remedies for victims, and compare them with other states' laws.
• Allows committee members to receive standard daily allowances under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. \u00a7 28-1-8) for up to five meeting days, funded by the Senate's budget.
• Sets December 1, 2025 as the date the committee automatically ends, after which any approved report or recommendations must already be filed.

The resolution directly affects the five senators appointed to serve on the committee. Its work could eventually affect Georgia employers, landlords, businesses that serve the public, state agencies, and people who experience discrimination, since the committee's recommendations could shape future civil rights legislation.

The committee itself does not change any law, but its findings could lead to future bills expanding legal protections against discrimination in jobs, housing, and public services in Georgia, one of the few states without broad state-level civil rights statutes covering these areas.

• Paragraph 1 creates the Senate Civil Rights Protections Study Committee.
• Paragraph 2 sets the committee at five Senate members, appointed by the President of the Senate, who also picks the chairperson.
• Paragraph 3 lists the committee's duties, including reviewing existing anti-discrimination laws, analyzing discrimination data, comparing other states' laws, assessing enforcement mechanisms, and recommending legislation.
• Paragraph 4 lets the chairperson call meetings at whatever times and places the committee needs.
• Paragraph 5 caps paid allowances at five meeting days unless more are authorized, funded through Senate appropriations.
• Paragraph 6 requires any approved report or recommendations to be filed with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee ends, or meeting minutes filed if no report is approved.
• Paragraph 7 abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-03-28Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2025-03-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
4. 2025-03-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-03-21Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)Primary sponsor
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)

1. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 1 absent)

   Consent Calendar For Senate Study Committees: Senate Vote #380

• civil rights
• anti-discrimination law
• study committee
• housing discrimination
• employment discrimination