---
title: HB 1217. Bryce Brooks Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1217
cite_as: HB 1217, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1217
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1217.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1217/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72907
date: 2026-02-09
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1217.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1217
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-05
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Bryce Berry
- Park Cannon
- Edna Jackson
- Anne Westbrook
- Inga Willis
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1217/2025
upstream_id: 2110021
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- beach safety
- lifeguards
- public safety
- youth employment
- Department of Economic Development
---
# HB 1217. Bryce Brooks Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 1217
By: Representatives Berry of the 56th, Cannon of the 58th, Jackson of the 165th, Westbrook
of the 163rd, and Willis of the 55th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Title 31 and Chapter 7 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to health and the Department of Economic Development, respectively, so as to
require the positioning of lifeguards on public beaches during certain periods; to authorize
the Department of Economic Development to develop and implement a pilot program to
encourage high school students to become lifeguards; to provide for definitions; to provide
for reporting; to provide for automatic repeal; to provide for short title; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, is amended by adding
a new chapter to read as follows:
"CHAPTER 45B
31-45B-1.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the 'Bryce Brooks Act.'
31-45B-2.
As used in this chapter, the term:
(1) 'Beach' means any zone of unconsolidated sand, gravel, or other material bordering
a body of water.
(2) 'Lifeguard' means an individual who has successfully completed a nationally
recognized lifeguard training course, holds a current certificate for such training, has met
all pre-service requirements, and participates in continuing in-service training as required
by such training course.
31-45B-3.
(a) A lifeguard shall be positioned every 150 yards on each public beach in this state at
identified periods of high occupancy."
SECTION 3.
Chapter 7 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department
of Economic Development, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:
"ARTICLE 12
50-7-140.
(a) The Department of Economic Development shall develop and implement a pilot
program to encourage high school students to become lifeguards as such term is defined
in Code Section 31-45B-2. The department may delegate to its officers, agents, and
employees such duties as it may deem proper to carry out the purposes of this article. The
department may contract with any department, board, or agency of the state, local, or
federal government; the University System of Georgia or any of its component units; other
public or private colleges and universities; nonprofit organizations; foundations;
corporations; private business firms; and individuals as shall be consistent with the
purposes of this article.
(b) No later than December 31, 2028, the department shall submit a detailed written report
on the development, implementation, and effectiveness of the pilot program to the
Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and
the chairpersons of the House Committee on Health, the Senate Health and Human
Services Committee, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate
Appropriations Committee. The report shall also include recommendations as to
expansion of the pilot program state wide.
(c) The pilot program created by this Code section shall terminate on January 1, 2029, and
this article shall stand repealed by operation of law on such date."
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 1217, called the Bryce Brooks Act, would require lifeguards to be stationed every 150 yards on Georgia's public beaches during high-occupancy periods and would set up a pilot program to recruit high school students as lifeguards.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law does not currently set a statewide standard for how many lifeguards must be on duty at public beaches. This bill creates a new chapter of law, named the Bryce Brooks Act, that requires a lifeguard to be positioned every 150 yards on each public beach in the state during identified periods of high occupancy. It defines 'beach' as any zone of sand, gravel, or similar material bordering a body of water, and defines 'lifeguard' as someone who has completed a nationally recognized training course, holds a current certificate, and keeps up with required continuing training.
The bill also directs the Department of Economic Development to create a pilot program encouraging high school students to become lifeguards, allowing the department to contract with schools, colleges, nonprofits, and businesses to run it. The department must report on the program's results by December 31, 2028, and the pilot program automatically ends, along with the law authorizing it, on January 1, 2029.
### What it does
- Requires a certified lifeguard to be stationed every 150 yards on every public beach in Georgia during times of high occupancy.
- Defines 'beach' and 'lifeguard' for purposes of the new law, including training and certification requirements for lifeguards.
- Creates a pilot program run by the Department of Economic Development to recruit high school students into lifeguard training.
- Allows the department to contract with schools, universities, nonprofits, and private businesses to carry out the pilot program.
- Requires a written report on the pilot program's results and recommendations by December 31, 2028.
- Automatically repeals the pilot program authorization on January 1, 2029.
### Who it affects
Public beach operators and local governments responsible for staffing beaches, lifeguards and lifeguard training organizations, high school students who might join the pilot program, and the Department of Economic Development, which must design, run, and report on the program.
### Why it matters
Beachgoers in Georgia could see more consistent lifeguard coverage on public beaches during busy times, potentially affecting safety response during swimming emergencies. Local entities that manage beaches would need to meet the 150-yard staffing rule, and the state would fund a temporary program aimed at building a pipeline of trained teenage lifeguards.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Chapter 45B to Title 31, naming the law the 'Bryce Brooks Act' and defining 'beach' and 'lifeguard' (O.C.G.A. § 31-45B-1, § 31-45B-2).
- Section 1 (§ 31-45B-3) requires a lifeguard to be positioned every 150 yards on each public beach during identified periods of high occupancy.
- Section 3 adds Article 12 to Chapter 7 of Title 50, directing the Department of Economic Development to create a pilot program to recruit high school lifeguards (O.C.G.A. § 50-7-140).
- Section 3 lets the department contract with government agencies, the University System of Georgia, colleges, nonprofits, businesses, and individuals to run the pilot program.
- Section 3 requires a report to the Governor and legislative leaders by December 31, 2028, on the program's development, effectiveness, and expansion potential.
- Section 3 sets the pilot program and its authorizing article to automatically repeal on January 1, 2029.
- Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-05)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-09)
- Sponsors: Bryce Berry, Park Cannon, Edna Jackson, Anne Westbrook, Inga Willis
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72907
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1217.md?full=1