---
title: HR 1945. House Study Committee on Examining the Implementation, Funding, and Effectiveness of Georgia's CHINS Framework; create
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1945
cite_as: HR 1945, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1945
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1945.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1945/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74497
date: 2026-03-31
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.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 132
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1945.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1945
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-25
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
  - Viola Davis
  - Kim Schofield
  - Sandra Scott
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1945/2025
upstream_id: 2138477
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - juvenile justice
  - CHINS program
  - youth services
  - legislative study committee
  - child welfare funding
---

# HR 1945. House Study Committee on Examining the Implementation, Funding, and Effectiveness of Georgia's CHINS Framework; create

## Text

House Resolution 1945
By: Representatives Davis of the 87th, Schofield of the 63rd, and Scott of the 76th
A RESOLUTION
Creating the House Study Committee on Examining the Implementation, Funding, and
Effectiveness of Georgia's CHINS Framework; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the child in need of services (CHINS) program is essential to address the needs
of youth without resorting to juvenile court or involving the Department of Juvenile Justice;
and
WHEREAS, status offenses are not criminal acts but often reflect underlying issues such as
family instability, behavioral health needs, housing insecurity, poverty, and lack of access
to supportive services; and
WHEREAS, the CHINS framework was designed to provide coordinated services through
the courts, schools, and community based organizations to address these issues and prevent
escalation into the juvenile justice system; and
WHEREAS, since its enactment more than a decade ago, the CHINS framework has largely
functioned as an unfunded or underfunded mandate, resulting in inconsistent implementation
across the state and limited access to services for many children and families; and
WHEREAS, research and policy evidence demonstrate that early intervention, family
stabilization, educational support, and community based services are significantly more
effective and less costly than detention and incarceration; and
WHEREAS, preventing youth from entering the juvenile justice system strengthens families,
improves educational outcomes, and reduces long-term public expenditures associated with
courts, incarceration, and social services; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly recognizes the importance of examining the current
CHINS framework to ensure that it is adequately funded, effectively implemented, and
producing measurable outcomes for the children and families it was intended to serve; and
WHEREAS, adequate funding and infrastructure for the CHINS program will prevent status
offenses and behavioral issues from escalating, provide community based interventions, and
reduce recidivism while improving public safety and family stability; and
WHEREAS, dedicated funding, management, and accountability are necessary for the
CHINS program to ensure uniform implementation and effectiveness across this state.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee
on Examining the Implementation, Funding, and Effectiveness of Georgia's CHINS
Framework.
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of seven members of the
House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives. The Speaker shall designate a member of the committee as chairperson
of the committee.
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.
(5) Allowances and funding.
(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided
for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
(B) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member
of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds
necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds
appropriated to the House of Representatives.
(6) Report.
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)
of this paragraph.
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with
the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the
House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu
thereof.
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution would create a study committee to examine how well the state's CHINS program, which helps at-risk youth avoid juvenile court, is funded and working.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia's child in need of services (CHINS) program is meant to connect struggling youth with services like family support, behavioral health care, and housing help before they end up in juvenile court or the Department of Juvenile Justice. This resolution says the program has largely been an unfunded or underfunded mandate since it began more than a decade ago, leading to uneven implementation across the state.
The resolution creates the House Study Committee on Examining the Implementation, Funding, and Effectiveness of Georgia's CHINS Framework. Seven House members, appointed by the Speaker, would serve on the committee, with one designated as chairperson. The committee would study how CHINS is funded and run, hold meetings as needed, and can recommend legislation. Members get standard legislative allowances for up to five days unless more are approved. The committee must file any report before it is abolished on December 1, 2026.

### What it does

- Creates the House Study Committee on Examining the Implementation, Funding, and Effectiveness of Georgia's CHINS Framework, made up of seven House members appointed by the Speaker.
- Directs the committee to study how the CHINS program is funded, implemented, and performing across Georgia and to recommend legislation if needed.
- Lets the chairperson call and schedule meetings as needed to carry out the study.
- Sets legislative travel and meeting allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 for up to five days unless additional days are approved, funded from the House's existing budget.
- Requires any approved findings or recommendations to be filed as a report with the Clerk of the House before the committee ends.
- Abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

### Who it affects

Seven House members who will be appointed to serve on the committee, the youth and families who rely on the CHINS program, and the courts, schools, and community organizations involved in delivering CHINS services across Georgia.

### Why it matters

If the committee's work leads to new legislation, it could change how much funding and structure the CHINS program gets, potentially affecting access to services for at-risk youth statewide. For now, the resolution itself only sets up a study, without changing funding or law directly.

### Key provisions

- Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Examining the Implementation, Funding, and Effectiveness of Georgia's CHINS Framework.
- Paragraph (2) sets the committee at seven House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson.
- Paragraph (3) gives the committee authority to study CHINS issues and recommend legislation.
- Paragraph (5) caps paid allowances at five days unless more are authorized and funds the committee from the House of Representatives' existing appropriated funds.
- Paragraph (6) requires any adopted report or recommendations to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee's abolishment date.
- Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-03-25)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-03-31)
- Sponsors: Viola Davis, Kim Schofield, Sandra Scott
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74497

> The history, votes, and amendments (132 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1945.md?full=1