HB 253: Ethan's Law; enact

Georgia law currently lets judges in child custody cases order psychological evaluations of a family or independent medical evaluations. This bill, known as Ethan's Law, keeps that power but adds a limit: judges could no longer order what the bill calls family reunification treatments or services as part of a custody case. The bill adds a new definition to Georgia's child custody code (O.C.G.A. § 19-9-6) spelling out that family reunification treatments or services means any therapeutic intervention that requires court-ordered restrictions on contact between a child and a parent or guardian, overnight stays for a child at an out-of-state facility, hotel, motel, or camp, use of private youth transporters who use force, threats, physical obstruction, or coercion against a child, or attendance at educational or experimental workshops. The change would take effect July 1, 2025, and applies to Georgia's general child custody statute (O.C.G.A. § 19-9-3).

• Amends Georgia's child custody law (O.C.G.A. § 19-9-3) to bar judges from ordering family reunification treatments or services in custody cases.
• Preserves a judge's existing authority to order a psychological custody evaluation or independent medical evaluation of the family.
• Adds a new legal definition (O.C.G.A. § 19-9-6) spelling out four specific features that make an intervention a family reunification treatment or service.
• Keeps existing immunity protections for court-appointed custody evaluators and guardians ad litem unless they act in bad faith.
• Sets the law to take effect July 1, 2025, and titles the act Ethan's Law.

Families involved in Georgia child custody disputes, judges who preside over those cases, court-appointed custody evaluators and guardians ad litem, and private companies or workshop programs that provide family reunification style therapeutic services or youth transport.

Judges would lose the option to order programs the bill defines as family reunification treatments or services, such as those involving restricted parent-child contact, out-of-state overnight stays, forceful private youth transport, or experimental workshops, changing what remedies are available in contested custody cases.

• Section 1 names the act 'Ethan's Law.'
• Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 19-9-3(a)(7) so judges may still order psychological or medical evaluations but may not order family reunification treatments or services.
• Section 3 adds a new definition at O.C.G.A. § 19-9-6(3.1) listing four criteria that define family reunification treatments or services, including restricted contact orders, out-of-state overnight stays, forceful private transport, and experimental workshops.
• Section 4 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025.
• Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-04House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (House)
2. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senate)
4. 2025-04-02Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
5. 2025-03-31Senate Tabled (Senate)
6. 2025-03-21Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
7. 2025-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2025-02-27Senate Read and Referred (Senate)

• David Clark (R, HD-100)Primary sponsor
• Houston Gaines (R, HD-120)
• Todd Jones (R, HD-25)
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-57)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-16)
• Stan Gunter (R, HD-8)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 26, 2025

   166 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 9 excused)

   PASSAGE: House Vote #87

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   55 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 1 excused)

   PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #422

3. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   146 yea, 15 nay (5 not voting, 14 excused)

   Agree to Senate Sub as Amended by House: House Vote #439

• child custody
• family law
• parental rights
• family reunification therapy