HB 1409: Domestic relations; revise mandated reporting of child abuse

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Discussed in meetings (16)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

1. House Judiciary Juvenile Committee, February 25, 2026

   From 0:51:18 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute would provide secure online reporting of suspected child abuse, allowing required reporters to document submission times and track reports. The sponsor said the supplemental budget included money for the system and that the bill would add firefighters and animal control workers as required reporters because they may encounter signs of abuse during calls. Asked how reporters would access the system, the sponsor described individual website logins. Another presenter said reporters could use a DFCS website, another qualifying secure platform or existing telephone reporting. In response to questions, the sponsor said emergency medical personnel already fall under medical personnel requirements. A member asked whether telephone reports would still be allowed and timestamped. The sponsor confirmed calls would remain available but said tracing them would be harder and reporters should continue documenting call times. The sponsor said local police had reported waiting hours to reach someone by telephone. Asked about firefighter feedback, the sponsor said local firefighters were supportive but no association had been consulted. The sponsor also described required online training. After clarifying the quorum and repeating the vote, the committee approved the measure by voice vote, with no opposition heard.

2. House Rules Committee, March 2, 2026

   From 0:23:37 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1409 would make child abuse reporting more uniform across Georgia, with tracking and timestamps. The sponsor said the system would help mandated reporters understand what had been reported and what happened afterward. No questions or decision followed.

3. House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, PM, part 2)

   From 4:34:28 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2311

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1409 would allow mandated child-abuse reporters to submit reports through a secure online platform to the Division of Family and Children Services, while retaining existing reporting methods. The sponsor said security standards and timestamps would protect sensitive information and show when reports are submitted, opened and addressed. Asked how quickly staff would receive reports, the sponsor said submissions should arrive instantly for immediate review. A member questioned whether staffing shortages would delay responses. The sponsor said the supplemental budget provides money to address a prior funding shortfall and partially funds the reporting system, with resources intended to support response staff. The House adopted the committee substitute and passed the bill 166-0.

4. House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026

   From 1:25:30 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2178

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 1409 on the supplemental floor calendar under modified structured rules. No substantive discussion occurred.

5. Senate Public Safety Committee, March 16, 2026

   From 0:07:26 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1409 would require firefighters and animal control officers to report suspected child abuse because they may be first to encounter it. The sponsor also described a secure online reporting system with documented, timestamped reports. Asked about cost and availability, the sponsor said procurement would be needed and understood $3 million was in the supplemental budget. A member questioned whether this overlapped with a larger allocation involving the GBI and Department of Human Services. Members asked about training, and the sponsor said standardized training would apply, while continuing-education credit needed coordination. Another member praised a county pilot's timeliness. A Frontline Policy witness supported the bill as strengthening child protection. A department witness said a cross-reference would also expand reporting duties involving aging services. The witness said an existing reporting portal would need replacement and connections to outside law-enforcement platforms would need building. Asked about fax use, the witness reported about 2,400 reports annually, primarily from hospitals. The chair held the bill for small changes and planned to place it first on Wednesday's agenda without further testimony. No vote occurred.

6. Senate Public Safety Committee, March 18, 2026

   From 0:07:49 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a revised substitute for HB 1409, describing it as an effort to strengthen and modernize Georgia’s child-abuse reporting system. The sponsor said legislative counsel had removed language referring to federal regulations and made several clarifications since the earlier hearing. Asked about discussions with the department, the sponsor said remaining issues involved financing and whether certain criteria were connected by “or” or “and.” The sponsor reported that the department opposed the bill. The chair noted that testimony had already been taken at an earlier meeting and suggested that unresolved issues could be addressed as the bill continued through the legislature. The committee approved the substitute unanimously.

7. Senate Rules Committee, March 20, 2026

   From 0:20:10 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would modernize the mandated reporting system and improve transparency, including through timestamps and greater continuity. The sponsor said it had passed out of the public safety committee. No substantive questions or calendar decision followed.

8. Senate Rules Committee, March 23, 2026

   From 0:12:16 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1409 would update child abuse reporting requirements and improve transparency and the ability to track children through the system. No questions or vote were shown.

9. Senate Rules Committee, March 30, 2026

   From 0:39:46 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said mandated child-abuse reporters did not always learn the outcomes of reports. The sponsor described HB 1409 as updating the reporting system and guidelines to improve transparency and accountability. A member selected it, and the committee unanimously approved the calendar containing it.

10. Senate floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, part 1)

    From 2:51:53 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Taken from Table)

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1409 would require a secure online child-abuse reporting system so reports could be tracked through the process. Drawing on law-enforcement experience, the sponsor described long waits for understaffed child-protection workers and reports falling through gaps. The sponsor said firefighters, animal-control officers and reproductive-healthcare facilities were added to required reporters, and noted that fax reporting remained available. Another senator offered amendments requiring disclosure of legislative records involving members' sexual-harassment settlements paid with public money. The amendment's author said a tentative House agreement covered records dating to January 1, 2019, required disclosure within three days and allowed appeals to superior court. The author said the disclosure provisions would take effect upon the governor's signature while the child-reporting changes would take effect February 1, 2027. The Senate adopted all three amendments without objection and passed the amended substitute 52 to 0.

11. House floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, PM, part 2)

    From 5:34:50 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub)

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1409 concerned mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect, with the aim of protecting children and improving transparency. The sponsor said those provisions had changed little in the Senate. The sponsor explained that the Senate added a section concerning settlements and actions involving people working for the General Assembly but did not provide further details. Another member sought recognition to make a motion, and the chair declined to recognize the motion at that time. The House agreed to the Senate's replacement version, 155 to 12.

• Read aloud: House floor session, February 24, 2026 (legislative day 23), 0:36:00
• Read aloud: House floor session, February 25, 2026 (legislative day 24), 0:36:11
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 9, 2026 (legislative day 29), 0:27:34
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 19, 2026 (legislative day 34), 0:41:23
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 20, 2026 (legislative day 35), 0:39:20

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