---
title: HB 122. Persons and their rights; life from the moment of conception is accorded same rights and protections guaranteed to all persons; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb122
cite_as: HB 122, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb122
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb122.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb122/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69496
date: 2025-01-29
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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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb122.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 122
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-01-27
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Charlice Byrd
- Mitchell Horner
- Emory Dunahoo
- David Clark
- Noelle Kahaian
- Matthew Gambill
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB122/2025
upstream_id: 1943221
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- abortion law
- personhood
- reproductive rights
- contraception
- Georgia Code amendments
---
# HB 122. Persons and their rights; life from the moment of conception is accorded same rights and protections guaranteed to all persons; provide
## Text
House Bill 122
By: Representatives Byrd of the 20th, Horner of the 3rd, Dunahoo of the 31st, Clark of the
100th, Kahaian of the 81st, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to persons
and their rights, so as to provide that life is valued and protected from the moment of
conception and that each life, from that moment, is accorded the same rights and protections
guaranteed to all persons; to provide for definitions; to provide for statutory construction; to
provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to persons and their
rights, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"1-2-12.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Abortifacient' means a method of inhibiting the development of a human pregnancy
at any stage following conception.
(2) 'Abortion' means the use of any means to terminate the pregnancy of a woman known
to be pregnant with knowledge that the termination will, with reasonable likelihood,
cause the death of the unborn child.
(3) 'Conception' means the process of combining the male sperm with the female ovum,
resulting in a fertilized ovum or zygote.
(4) 'Contraception' means a method of inhibiting the development of a human pregnancy
at any stage prior to conception. Contraception does not include an abortifacient.
(b) The State of Georgia recognizes that life is valued and protected from the moment of
conception and that each life, from that moment, is accorded the same rights and
protections guaranteed to all persons by the Constitution of the United States, the Georgia
Constitution, and the laws of Georgia.
(c) This Code section shall not be construed to create or recognize a right to abortion or
to prohibit the use of any means of contraception."
SECTION 2.
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 122 would add a new section to Georgia law declaring that human life is legally protected from the moment of conception and receives the same rights as any other person, while stating it does not create an abortion right or ban contraception.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law currently does not contain a general statement in Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated defining when personhood or legal protection begins. House Bill 122 would add a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 1-2-12, declaring that life is valued and protected starting at conception and that from that moment it receives the same rights and protections the Constitution and Georgia law guarantee to all persons.
The bill defines several terms, including conception (combining sperm and ovum into a fertilized zygote), abortion, abortifacient, and contraception, and it specifically excludes abortifacients from the definition of contraception. It also includes a clause stating the section should not be read to create a right to abortion or to ban any form of contraception. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not set an explicit effective date beyond the standard process for a signed act.
### What it does
- Adds a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 1-2-12, stating life is protected from the moment of conception and given the same legal rights as any person.
- Defines 'conception' as the combining of sperm and ovum resulting in a fertilized ovum or zygote.
- Defines 'abortion' and 'abortifacient' separately from 'contraception,' and excludes abortifacients from the contraception definition.
- States the section does not create or recognize a right to abortion, nor does it prohibit the use of contraception.
- Repeals any existing Georgia laws that conflict with this new declaration.
### Who it affects
The bill's language touches Georgians broadly by addressing how state law defines the start of legally protected life. It could affect pregnant women, medical providers who perform abortions or prescribe contraception or abortifacients, and courts or agencies that interpret Georgia's rights and protections laws.
### Why it matters
By declaring that legal personhood and rights begin at conception, this bill could influence how Georgia courts, prosecutors, and agencies interpret other laws involving pregnancy, reproductive health, and personhood, even though the text itself says it does not create an abortion right or ban contraception.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code section 1-2-12 to Chapter 2 of Title 1, covering persons and their rights.
- Subsection (a) defines 'abortifacient,' 'abortion,' 'conception,' and 'contraception,' distinguishing abortifacients from contraception.
- Subsection (b) declares that life is valued and protected from conception and receives the same constitutional and legal rights as any person.
- Subsection (c) clarifies the section does not create a right to abortion or prohibit use of contraception.
- Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with the Act.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-01-27)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-01-29)
- Sponsors: Charlice Byrd, Mitchell Horner, Emory Dunahoo, David Clark, Noelle Kahaian, Matthew Gambill
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69496
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb122.md?full=1