HB 984: Crimes and offenses; court order to locate an alleged victim of child or elder abuse; provide

Under current Georgia law covering cruelty to children and exploitation of disabled adults, elder persons, and residents, investigators can struggle to check on a potential victim's welfare if that person is moved away from the address police have on file. This bill adds new provisions to two sections of Georgia's criminal code (O.C.G.A. §§ 16-5-70 and 16-5-102) letting a superior court in the county of the last known address issue an order to locate the parent, guardian, or other responsible person of record. To get the order, a law enforcement official must show the court that finding the person is necessary to complete an open investigation into suspected child abuse, or exploitation or intimidation of a disabled adult, elder person, or resident. The bill applies only while an investigation is open and the victim has been moved from a known to an unknown address. It repeals any conflicting laws but does not state a separate effective date beyond standard practice.

• Adds a new subsection to Georgia's cruelty to children law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70) allowing a superior court to order the location of a parent or guardian when an abused child has been moved to an unknown address.
• Adds a parallel new subsection to Georgia's law on exploitation and intimidation of disabled adults, elder persons, and residents (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-102) allowing the same kind of location order for a guardian of record.
• Limits use of these orders to cases with an open investigation into an alleged violation of the relevant Code section.
• Requires a law enforcement official to show the court that locating the person is necessary to complete the investigation before the order can be granted.
• Assigns jurisdiction for these orders to the superior court of the county tied to the victim's last known address.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these new provisions.

The bill affects law enforcement officials investigating suspected abuse of children, disabled adults, elder persons, or residents; superior court judges who would issue these location orders; and parents, guardians, or caretakers of record who could be ordered located by the court.

When a child or a vulnerable adult under investigation disappears from a known address, investigators currently may have no clear legal tool to compel disclosure of a new location. This bill gives law enforcement a specific court process to find the responsible caretaker so welfare checks and abuse investigations can continue.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70 (cruelty to children) by adding subsection (f), letting the superior court for the county of the child's known address grant an order to locate the parent or guardian of record during an open investigation.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 16-5-102 (exploitation and intimidation of disabled adults, elder persons, and residents) by adding subsection (d), creating the same type of order for a guardian of record.
• Both new subsections require a law enforcement official to show the court that locating the person is necessary to complete the investigation.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting state laws, a standard closing provision.

1. 2026-03-06House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-01-27House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-16House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-01-15House Hopper (House)

• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)Primary sponsor
• Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)
• James Burchett (R, HD-176)
• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)
• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)

• child abuse investigations
• elder abuse
• disabled adult protection
• court orders
• criminal law