Georgia CommonsHB 1329: Controlled substances; Schedule I; provide certain provisions
Last action May 5, 2026 · Effective Date 2026-05-05
House Bill 1329 updates Georgia's controlled substances law by adding dozens of new medications to the state's list of dangerous drugs and adjusting a Schedule I chemical definition, largely to keep pace with newly approved pharmaceuticals.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
Georgia law separately lists which chemicals count as Schedule I controlled substances and which medications count as 'dangerous drugs' that require a prescription. This bill updates both lists. It expands the chemical definition used to identify certain Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid-type substances by adding alkyl, halide, cyano, or acetyl groups to the list of substitutions that trigger control, alongside the existing nitro group language. The bill also adds roughly 50 newly named drugs, mostly recently approved prescription medications with generic names like aceclidine, brensocatib, and suzetrigine, to the dangerous drugs list in O.C.G.A. § 16-13-71. It removes outdated entries for specific brand formulations of an antihemophilic factor, a chikungunya vaccine, and a COVID-19 vaccine, and it expands an exception for epinephrine devices to cover pharmacist-distributed higher-dose epinephrine sprays used for severe allergic reactions. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.
What the bill does
- Broadens the chemical description used to classify certain Schedule I controlled substances by adding alkyl, halide, cyano, or acetyl substitution groups to the existing nitro-group definition.
- Adds about 50 newly named prescription drugs, identified by generic name, to Georgia's list of regulated dangerous drugs under O.C.G.A. § 16-13-71.
- Repeals outdated paragraph listings for a specific antihemophilic factor formulation, a live chikungunya vaccine, and an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine from the dangerous drugs list.
- Expands the epinephrine exemption so pharmacists can distribute higher-dose epinephrine sprays (up to 2 mg) for emergency allergic reaction treatment without the drug being treated as a controlled dangerous drug requiring separate handling.
- Sets the effective date as the day the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law.
Who it affects
Pharmacists, physicians, and pharmacies that dispense the newly listed medications; drug manufacturers whose products are added or removed from the dangerous drugs list; patients relying on epinephrine devices for allergic reactions; and law enforcement or prosecutors who apply Georgia's controlled substances definitions.
Why it matters
By updating which chemicals and medications count as regulated substances, the bill keeps Georgia's drug schedules current with newly approved treatments and vaccine formulations. Expanding the epinephrine exception could make it easier for pharmacists to distribute higher-dose emergency allergy treatments under existing rules.
Key provisions
- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 16-13-25(16)(E) to add alkyl, halide, cyano, and acetyl substitution groups to the Schedule I chemical definition, alongside the existing nitro group and primary amine language.
- Section 2 adds roughly 50 new paragraphs to O.C.G.A. § 16-13-71(b) naming specific drugs, from aceclidine to zopapogene imadenovec-drba, as dangerous drugs.
- Section 3 repeals and reserves paragraph (324) and revises paragraphs (60.3), (160.5), and (217.2) to remove specific antihemophilic factor, chikungunya vaccine, and COVID-19 vaccine listings.
- Section 4 revises O.C.G.A. § 16-13-71(c)(9.33) to add a second epinephrine exemption for pharmacist-distributed sprays delivering up to 2 mg for emergency allergic reaction treatment.
- Section 5 makes the Act effective upon the Governor's approval or upon becoming law without approval.
- Section 6 repeals all conflicting laws.
From the bill
“By substitution at the 5-position or 6-position with a nitro, alkyl, halide, cyano, or acetyl group or primary amine;”
“When distributed by a pharmacist as provided by the State Board of Pharmacy, in a device that delivers a spray of 2 mg. of epinephrine or less to provide emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis”
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2026-05-05
- Act 390
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
Show full history (15 actions)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
- Mark Newton (R, HD-127)
- Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
Votes
- House voteFebruary 25, 2026
171 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 5 absent)
- Senate voteMarch 20, 2026
41 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 7 absent)
Topics
- controlled substances
- drug scheduling
- pharmacy regulation
- epinephrine access
- prescription drugs