---
title: HB 1608. Georgia Youth Advisory Council; create
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1608
cite_as: HB 1608, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1608
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1608.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1608/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74574
date: 2026-04-02
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1607.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1608.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1608
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-03-27
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Omari Crawford
- Mekyah McQueen
- Bryce Berry
- Akbar Ali
- Imani Barnes
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1608/2025
upstream_id: 2139178
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- youth advisory council
- state government
- education policy
- online safety
- governor's office
---
# HB 1608. Georgia Youth Advisory Council; create
## Text
House Bill 1608
By: Representatives Crawford of the 89th, McQueen of the 61st, Berry of the 56th, Ali of the
106th, and Barnes of the 86th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 12 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
commissions and other agencies of state government, so as to create the Georgia Youth
Advisory Council; to provide for appointment of members to the advisory council; to provide
for criteria of the membership of the advisory council; to provide for terms of members; to
provide for quarterly meetings; to provide for purpose and activities of the advisory council;
to provide for annual reports; to provide for a definition; 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 12 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to commissions
and other agencies of state government, is amended by adding a new article to read as
follows:
"ARTICLE 9
50-12-160.
(a) As used in this article, the term 'youth' means an individual who is between the ages
of 14 and 21.
(b) There is created an advisory council to be known as the 'Georgia Youth Advisory
Council,' hereinafter referred to as the council. The council is created as an advisory body.
(c) The council shall be composed of 15 members as follows:
(1) One youth member from every congressional district in this state, appointed in the
manner provided for in subsection (e) of this Code section; and
(2) One at-large youth member appointed by the Governor.
(d) The council shall elect a chairperson from among its members.
(e) The Governor shall establish an application process for membership on the council,
which shall be administered by the Office of the Governor. Applications shall be made
available to youth across the state.
(f) The members shall serve two-year terms and, if eligible, may be reappointed for
subsequent two-year terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(g) All members of the council shall be residents of this state and shall be between the ages
of 14 and 21 at the time of appointment.
(h) The council shall meet upon the call of the chairperson or upon request of the Governor
and shall meet no less than quarterly.
(i) Members of the council shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be
entitled to be reimbursed for actual expenses, including travel and any other expenses,
incurred while in the performance of their duties.
50-12-161.
(a) The purpose of the council shall be to advise the Governor on issues of importance to
young people including, but not limited to, education, employment, strategies to increase
youth participation in state and municipal government, safe environments for youth,
substance abuse, emotional and physical health, foster care, poverty, homelessness, youth
access to services on a state-wide and municipal basis, and on other matters as requested
by the Governor.
(b) The council shall:
(1) Identify and study issues of importance to youth in this state;
(2) Develop and recommend policy and programmatic changes to improve outcomes for
youth;
(3) Provide a forum for youth to communicate with state leaders;
(4) Form committees at the direction of the Governor or a majority of voting members
which shall study, evaluate, and make recommendations in consultation with subject
matter experts regarding matters in which youth possess particular insight, including, but
not limited to, technology, cyber fraud, online scams, and protection from digital
predators on social media and gaming platforms. These committees shall report to the
council, Governor, and members of the public on its findings and recommendations; and
(5) Perform any other advisory duties requested by the Governor or the General
Assembly that are consistent with the purposes of this Code section.
50-12-162.
The council shall submit an annual report of its activities, findings, and recommendations
no later than November 30 of each year to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
50-12-163.
Administrative support for the council, including but not limited to, staff support for
meetings, facilitation of the application and appointment process, and assistance with
preparation and dissemination of the annual report, shall be provided by the Office of the
Governor."
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.
A Georgia House bill would create a 15-member Georgia Youth Advisory Council of young people ages 14 to 21 to advise the Governor on issues like education, mental health, and online safety.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia currently has no formal statewide council of young people advising the Governor. This bill would add a new article to state law (O.C.G.A. Title 50, Chapter 12) creating the Georgia Youth Advisory Council, made up of 15 members: one youth from each of Georgia's congressional districts plus one at-large member appointed by the Governor. Members must be state residents between 14 and 21 when appointed, serve two-year terms, and can be reappointed. The Governor's office would run the application process.
The council would elect its own chairperson and meet at least quarterly. Its job is to advise the Governor on issues affecting young people, including education, employment, safe environments, substance abuse, health, foster care, poverty, homelessness, and access to services. It can form committees on topics like cyber fraud and online predators, and must send an annual report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and House Speaker by November 30 each year. Members are unpaid but get expense reimbursement, and the Governor's office provides staff support.
### What it does
- Creates a new 15-member Georgia Youth Advisory Council made up of youth ages 14 to 21, with one member per congressional district plus one at-large appointee.
- Requires the Governor's office to set up an application process open to youth statewide and to administer appointments.
- Sets two-year terms for members, allows reappointment, and requires the council to meet at least quarterly.
- Directs the council to study youth issues, recommend policy changes, and form committees on topics like online scams and digital predators.
- Requires an annual report on the council's activities and recommendations to be sent to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and House Speaker by November 30.
- Provides that members serve without pay but can be reimbursed for expenses like travel, and that the Governor's office supplies administrative support.
### Who it affects
Georgia youth between ages 14 and 21 who could apply to serve on the council, the Governor's office which runs the application process and provides staff support, and state leaders including the Lieutenant Governor and House Speaker who receive the council's annual reports.
### Why it matters
The bill would give young Georgians a formal, recurring channel to raise concerns directly with the Governor on issues like education, mental health, foster care, and online safety, and would require the state to act on those findings through annual public reporting.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 (new O.C.G.A. § 50-12-160) defines 'youth' as ages 14 to 21 and creates the 15-member council, one per congressional district plus one at-large Governor appointee.
- Establishes two-year terms, an application process run by the Governor's office, quarterly meetings, and unpaid service with expense reimbursement.
- New § 50-12-161 sets the council's advisory purpose, covering education, employment, health, foster care, poverty, homelessness, and youth access to services, and allows forming committees on topics like cyber fraud and online predators.
- New § 50-12-162 requires an annual report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House by November 30 each year.
- New § 50-12-163 assigns the Office of the Governor to provide administrative support, including staffing meetings and preparing the annual report.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-03-27)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-04-02)
- Sponsors: Omari Crawford, Mekyah McQueen, Bryce Berry, Akbar Ali, Imani Barnes
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74574
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1608.md?full=1