---
title: SB 200. Persons and Their Rights; that life is valued and protected from the moment of conception; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb200
cite_as: SB 200, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb200
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb200.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb200/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70481
date: 2025-02-20
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb199.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb201.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb200.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 200
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-19
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Colton Moore
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB200/2025
upstream_id: 1976299
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- abortion law
- reproductive rights
- fetal personhood
- Georgia code definitions
---
# SB 200. Persons and Their Rights; that life is valued and protected from the moment of conception; provide
## Text
Senate Bill 200
By: Senator Moore of the 53rd
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to persons
and their rights, so as to provide that life is valued and protected from the moment of
conception and that each life, from that moment, is accorded the same rights and protections
guaranteed to all persons; to provide for definitions; to provide for statutory construction; to
provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to persons and their
rights, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"1-2-12.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Abortifacient' means a method of inhibiting the development of a human pregnancy
at any stage following conception.
(2) 'Abortion' means the use of any means to terminate the pregnancy of a woman known
to be pregnant with knowledge that the termination will, with reasonable likelihood,
cause the death of the unborn child.
(3) 'Conception' means the process of combining the male sperm with the female ovum,
resulting in a fertilized ovum or zygote.
(4) 'Contraception' means a method of inhibiting the development of a human pregnancy
at any stage prior to conception. Contraception does not include an abortifacient.
(b) The State of Georgia recognizes that life is valued and protected from the moment of
conception and that each life, from that moment, is accorded the same rights and
protections guaranteed to all persons by the Constitution of the United States, the Georgia
Constitution, and the laws of Georgia.
(c) This Code section shall not be construed to create or recognize a right to abortion or
to prohibit the use of any means of contraception."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia Senate bill would declare in state law that life begins at conception and is entitled to the same legal rights and protections as any other person, while stating it does not restrict contraception.
### Plain-language summary
This bill would add a new section to Georgia's code on persons and their rights (O.C.G.A. Title 1, Chapter 2). It would state that the State of Georgia recognizes life as valued and protected from the moment of conception, and that from that moment each life has the same rights and protections given to all persons under the U.S. Constitution, the Georgia Constitution, and Georgia law.
The bill defines several terms, including conception, abortion, abortifacient, and contraception. It specifies that the new section should not be read as creating or recognizing a right to abortion, nor as banning any method of contraception. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not set out enforcement mechanisms, penalties, or an explicit effective date beyond standard enactment.
### What it does
- Adds a new Code section declaring that life is valued and protected from the moment of conception under Georgia law.
- Defines conception as the combining of sperm and ovum resulting in a fertilized ovum or zygote.
- Defines abortion, abortifacient, and contraception, and states contraception does not include abortifacients.
- States the new section does not create or recognize a right to abortion.
- States the new section does not prohibit the use of any means of contraception.
- Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with this declaration.
### Who it affects
The bill's language most directly touches how Georgia courts and lawmakers might interpret the legal status of a fetus or embryo, which could affect pregnant women, medical providers, and anyone involved in abortion or reproductive health law and litigation in Georgia.
### Why it matters
By declaring that life and its legal protections begin at conception, this bill could shape how Georgia courts interpret other laws involving pregnancy, personhood, or fetal rights, even though the text itself says it does not create an abortion right or restrict contraception.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code Section 1-2-12 to Chapter 2 of Title 1, defining abortifacient, abortion, conception, and contraception.
- Subsection (b) states Georgia recognizes life as valued and protected from conception, with the same rights and protections as all persons under state and federal constitutions and Georgia law.
- Subsection (c) clarifies the section does not create or recognize a right to abortion and does not prohibit any method of contraception.
- Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the Act.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-19)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-02-20)
- Sponsors: Colton Moore
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70481
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb200.md?full=1