Georgia CommonsHouse · Engrossed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 57: Crimes and offenses; incest; include step-grandparent and step-grandchild relationship
Last action February 12, 2026 · Senate Read and Referred
A Georgia House bill would expand the state's incest law to cover sexual relations between a step-grandparent and step-grandchild, adding that relationship to the list of family ties already covered.
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 Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia's incest law (O.C.G.A. § 16-6-22) currently lists specific family relationships, including grandparent and grandchild, whose sexual contact is illegal as incest. This bill adds step-grandparent and step-grandchild to that list, meaning sexual relations between someone in that step relationship would now count as incest under Georgia law. The bill makes this change by rewriting one paragraph, paragraph (4) of subsection (a), of the existing statute. It does not create any new crime category or penalty structure; it simply extends the existing incest offense to reach a relationship it did not previously cover. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision. No specific effective date is stated beyond the standard process of becoming law once signed.
What the bill does
- Adds step-grandparent and step-grandchild to the list of family relationships covered by Georgia's incest law (O.C.G.A. § 16-6-22).
- Rewrites paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of the incest statute to include this new relationship alongside grandparent and grandchild relationships of whole or half blood.
- Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this change, a standard closing provision in Georgia bills.
Who it affects
The change affects anyone in a step-grandparent or step-grandchild relationship in Georgia, since sexual contact within that relationship would now be prosecutable as incest. It also affects prosecutors, defense attorneys, and courts handling incest cases under this statute.
Why it matters
Currently, Georgia's incest law does not explicitly list step-grandparent and step-grandchild relationships, which could leave a gap in prosecuting sexual contact between people in that specific step-family tie. This bill closes that gap by folding the relationship into the existing incest offense.
Key provisions
- Section 1 revises paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 16-6-22 to add 'step-grandparent and step-grandchild' to the relationships covered by the incest statute.
- Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the Act, a standard provision with no substantive effect beyond the amendment itself.
From the bill
“Grandparent and grandchild of the whole blood or of the half blood or step-grandparent and step-grandchild;”
Discussed in meetings (6)
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.
House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, February 5, 2026
From 1:18:27 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would add step-grandparent and step-grandchild relationships to Georgia’s incest law. The sponsor described a northwest Georgia case involving a 17-year-old and a step-grandfather, saying the young person’s age prevented a statutory rape prosecution and the relationship was not covered by the incest law. The chair noted that nobody had signed up to testify for or against the bill. The committee approved a motion to pass by voice vote, with no vote count stated.
House Rules Committee, February 9, 2026
From 0:27:28 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 57 would add relationships between step-grandparents and step-grandchildren to Georgia's incest law. No questions were asked, and the committee took no calendar action.
House Rules Committee, February 10, 2026
From 0:32:18 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 523
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 57 on the next day's calendar under modified rules governing floor debate. The motion received a second, and no opposition was stated. No discussion of the bill's contents was shown.
House floor session, February 11, 2026 (legislative day 17)
From 1:54:25 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 537
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 57 adds step-grandparent and step-grandchild relationships to Georgia's incest law. The sponsor said a northwest Georgia case could not be prosecuted under the existing law and that the proposal closes that gap. No questions were asked. The House passed the bill, 168 to 0.
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
Show full history (9 actions)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Mike Cameron (R, HD-1)
- Jan Jones (R, HD-47)
- Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
- Karen Mathiak (R, HD-82)
- Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
- Matt Reeves (R, HD-99)
Votes
- House voteFebruary 11, 2026
168 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 7 excused)
Topics
- incest law
- family relationships
- criminal law
- sex crimes