Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HR 1475: Joint Study Committee on Modified Exhaust Systems on Motor Vehicles; create
Last action March 3, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported
A Georgia House resolution would create a joint legislative study committee to examine how the state defines and enforces rules against overly loud modified exhaust systems on vehicles.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution 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 law already bans selling mufflers that cause 'excessive or unusual noise,' but the resolution notes that phrase is not defined in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, making it hard for police to enforce. This resolution sets up the Joint Study Committee on Modified Exhaust Systems on Motor Vehicles to study the problem and recommend fixes. The committee would have seven members, four appointed by the Speaker of the House and three by the President of the Senate, each side naming a cochairperson. It would review Georgia's current penalties, consider whether shops that install loud exhaust systems should face accountability, and look at whether police should be allowed to use handheld decibel meters, as some other states do. The committee must file any findings or proposed legislation before it is abolished on December 1, 2026.
What the bill does
- Creates the Joint Study Committee on Modified Exhaust Systems on Motor Vehicles, made up of seven legislators from the House and Senate.
- Directs the committee to study how Georgia defines 'excessive or unusual noise' from vehicle mufflers and recommend clearer legal standards.
- Asks the committee to evaluate whether businesses that modify exhaust systems should be held accountable for resulting noise.
- Directs the committee to study other states' use of handheld decibel meters by law enforcement and whether Georgia should adopt similar tools.
- Sets member travel and expense allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at three paid days unless more are authorized.
- Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2026, requiring any report to be filed before that date.
Who it affects
Members of the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate appointed to the committee, state and local law enforcement agencies responsible for enforcing noise laws, drivers who modify vehicle exhaust systems, and businesses that perform exhaust modification services.
Why it matters
If enforcement gaps around vague noise standards get clarified through future legislation the committee recommends, drivers with loud modified exhausts, the shops that install them, and police who currently struggle to cite violators could all see clearer rules and new enforcement tools like decibel meters.
Key provisions
- Paragraph (1) creates the Joint Study Committee on Modified Exhaust Systems on Motor Vehicles.
- Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at seven: four House members appointed by the Speaker and three Senate members appointed by the President, each chamber naming a cochairperson.
- Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study the issues raised in the resolution and recommend action or legislation as it sees fit.
- Paragraph (5) ties member allowances to O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 and limits paid days to three unless additional days are approved, funded from existing legislative appropriations.
- Paragraph (6) requires any approved findings or legislative recommendations to be filed as a report with the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate before abolishment.
- Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.
From the bill
“law enforcement agencies of this state report that such agencies are not able to enforce Georgia law with respect to modified exhaust systems on motor vehicles because "excessive or unusual noise" is not defined in the Code”
“study of other states' enforcement mechanisms should be undertaken to consider modifications to Georgia law to allow the use of handheld decibel meters by state and local law enforcement agencies”
Discussed in meetings (4)
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 Special Rules Committee, March 2, 2026
From 0:27:59 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HR 1475 would create a joint study committee to examine excessive or unusual noise from vehicle exhaust systems. According to the sponsor, law enforcement officials said existing law was not enforceable because those terms were undefined. The sponsor said the study could consider definitions, law enforcement's role and tools such as decibel meters. No substantive questions were asked. The committee approved the resolution by voice vote; no numerical tally was stated.
House Rules Committee, March 4, 2026
From 0:45:51 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: A member presenting HR 1475 for its sponsor said it would create a study committee to examine how to define excessive or unusual noise. The presenter said the absence of a definition makes existing noise rules difficult for law enforcement to enforce. No questions or decision followed.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Matt Dubnik (R, HD-29)
- Marvin Lim (D, HD-98)
- Stacey Evans (D, HD-57)
- Betsy Holland (D, HD-54)
- Bryce Berry (D, HD-56)
- Gabriel Sanchez (D, HD-42)
Topics
- vehicle noise
- exhaust systems
- law enforcement
- legislative study committee