HB 1283: Family Justice Center Act; enact

Currently, Georgia victims of family violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking often must navigate separate agencies for police, medical, legal, and social services, which the bill's findings say can retraumatize survivors. This bill adds a new article to Georgia's family violence law (O.C.G.A. Title 19, Chapter 13) authorizing counties, municipalities, nonprofits, and district attorneys to create 'Family Justice Centers' that bring these services together in one location. The bill sets rules for how centers can be organized, requires an oversight board with representatives from law enforcement, prosecutors, victim services, and community groups, and lets officers assigned to a center respond to emergencies outside their normal jurisdiction in exigent circumstances. It creates confidentiality protections for victim information, gives participating staff the same immunity from civil liability as government employees when acting in good faith, and exempts many center records from the state's open records law. It also extends the deadline for police to preserve sexual assault evidence from 12 months to 10 years and clarifies that records held solely by center partners are not automatically subject to criminal discovery rules just because they are co-located with prosecutors or police.

• Authorizes counties, municipalities, district attorneys, and nonprofits to establish 'Family Justice Centers' that co-locate law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim service providers in one location.
• Requires most centers to have an oversight board with at least five members representing local government, law enforcement, the district attorney, victim services, and nonprofit partners.
• Allows peace officers assigned to a center to respond to emergencies outside their normal jurisdiction only in exigent circumstances, notifying the local agency once the emergency passes.
• Grants employees and volunteers at government-run centers the same civil liability immunity as government employees, as long as they act in good faith and within their duties.
• Exempts many records held by center partner agencies from Georgia's Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. Title 50, Chapter 18) unless those agencies were already subject to it.
• Extends the required retention period for physical evidence in unreported sexual assault cases from 12 months to 10 years, and clarifies that co-location at a center does not automatically make partner agency records subject to criminal discovery.

Survivors of family violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking; local governments and district attorneys who may establish centers; law enforcement officers assigned to centers; nonprofit victim service organizations; the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, which administers funding and reporting; and prosecutors and defense attorneys handling evidence and discovery in criminal cases.

Georgians seeking help after violence or abuse could access police, medical, legal, and social services in one place instead of navigating separate systems, potentially reducing retraumatization. The bill also gives police temporary authority to act outside their jurisdiction near centers, shields many victim service records from public disclosure, and requires sexual assault evidence be kept far longer.

• Section 1 (new O.C.G.A. § 19-13-70) states legislative findings that fragmented victim services can retraumatize survivors and sets intent to fund coordinated Family Justice Centers using state and federal victim service money.
• New § 19-13-72 lays out who can establish a center (counties, municipalities, district attorneys, or partnering nonprofits) and requires an oversight board with defined representation and two-year terms.
• New § 19-13-73 authorizes peace officers assigned to a center to respond to emergencies outside their normal jurisdiction, limited to exigent circumstances, while keeping their usual immunities and duties.
• New § 19-13-75 requires centers to submit performance reports on services, victims served, outcomes, and spending, compiled annually by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for the Governor and legislative leaders.
• New § 19-13-76 bars disclosure of victim information without written consent except as required by law, while preserving existing child and elder abuse reporting duties.
• New § 19-13-77 extends government-style civil immunity to center staff and volunteers acting in good faith within their duties, without waiving sovereign immunity.
• New § 19-13-78 exempts most Family Justice Center records from the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. Title 50, Chapter 18) unless the holding agency is already subject to it.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 17-5-71 to extend the mandatory evidence preservation period for unreported sexual assault cases from 12 months to 10 years.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-12Act 719
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-04-02House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senate)
7. 2026-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2026-03-20Senate Read Second Time (Senate)

• Esther Panitch (D, HD-051)Primary sponsor
• Stan Gunter (R, HD-008)
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Scott Holcomb (D, HD-101)
• Shea Roberts (D, HD-052)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2026

   163 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 10 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #658

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   48 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 5 absent)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #898

3. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   170 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 5 absent)

   Agree To Senate Amendment: House Vote #834

• family violence
• victim services
• law enforcement
• open records exemptions
• sexual assault evidence