HB 1061: Mandi Ballinger Act; enact

Currently 17-year-olds who commit crimes in Georgia are generally handled in the adult criminal system rather than juvenile court. This bill does not change that age itself, but it sets up a temporary organizational committee to study what it would take to move 17-year-olds into the juvenile justice system. The committee would include lawmakers, judicial officials, prosecutors, defense attorneys, sheriffs, and other justice system leaders, cochaired by the House and Senate Judiciary committee chairs. It can consult outside experts and look at how other states handle this issue. The committee must start meeting by September 15, 2026, and must deliver a detailed written report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and General Assembly by December 1, 2027, covering costs, staffing, timelines, and legal changes needed. The law creating the committee automatically repeals itself on January 1, 2028.

• Creates a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 15-11-42) called the 'Mandi Ballinger Act' establishing a 15-member organizational committee.
• Names specific officials to sit on the committee, including legislative committee chairs, the juvenile justice commissioner, sheriffs, prosecutors, public defenders, and court administrators.
• Allows the committee to consult outside experts, police chiefs, training officials, juvenile court attorneys, and child advocates on implementation questions.
• Requires the committee to study the costs, staffing, and operational changes needed to include 17-year-olds in the juvenile justice system.
• Sets a deadline of December 1, 2027 for a written report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and General Assembly.
• Automatically repeals the committee and this Code section on January 1, 2028.

The bill directly affects state officials named to serve on the committee: legislative judiciary chairs, the juvenile justice commissioner, sheriffs, prosecutors, public defenders, court administrators, and county commissioner representatives. Indirectly, it affects 17-year-olds who might eventually be moved into the juvenile justice system and the agencies that would handle them.

If Georgia eventually moves 17-year-olds from adult courts into the juvenile system, it could change how those teens are charged, held, and processed statewide. This bill does not make that change itself, but its report will shape whether and how lawmakers pursue it, including cost and staffing implications for courts and detention facilities.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 15-11-42, naming it the 'Mandi Ballinger Act' and establishing the organizational committee.
• Subsection (b) lists the 15 committee members and designates the House and Senate Judiciary chairs as cochairpersons who call meetings.
• Subsection (c) allows the committee to confer with outside subject matter experts, police chiefs, training officials, and child advocates on raising the juvenile age.
• Subsection (d) requires the committee to begin work no later than September 15, 2026, and sets its abolition date at December 31, 2027.
• Subsection (e) requires a detailed report on operational and statutory changes, cost estimates, staffing needs, and implementation timelines, due December 1, 2027.
• Subsection (f) automatically repeals the entire Code section on January 1, 2028.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-25Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
2. 2026-03-25Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2026-02-24Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
4. 2026-02-20House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
5. 2026-02-20House Third Readers (House)
6. 2026-02-12House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
7. 2026-02-02House Second Readers (House)
8. 2026-01-29House First Readers (House)

• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)Primary sponsor
• James Burchett (R, HD-176)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Stan Gunter (R, HD-008)
• Mary Ann Santos (D, HD-117)
• Mary Oliver (D, HD-084)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 20, 2026

   155 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 16 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #538

• juvenile justice
• juvenile age reform
• criminal justice policy
• legislative study committee