Georgia CommonsSenate · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SB 207: Professions and Businesses; a preclearance process in the licensing of individuals with criminal records who make application to or are investigated by certain licensing boards and commissions; create
Last action July 1, 2026 · Effective Date
Senate Bill 207 would require Georgia occupational licensing boards to follow a set process, including notice and hearings, before denying a license because of an applicant's criminal record, and lets people ask boards in advance whether their record would disqualify them.
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 Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia licensing boards can currently deny professional licenses because of an applicant's criminal history without much structured process. This bill changes that for boards under the Secretary of State's professional licensing division and for several specific boards, including accountants, chiropractors, massage therapists, real estate appraisers and brokers, and structural pest control operators, plus insurance agents and adjusters regulated by the Insurance Commissioner. Boards would have to show that a felony or a 'covered misdemeanor' (generally one from the past five years, or certain serious ones regardless of age) is directly related to the licensed occupation before denying a license on that basis. Applicants would get written notice of problems, 30 days to respond, and a hearing before a final denial, plus the right to petition a board in advance ('predetermination') for a decision on whether their record would disqualify them. Boards must post their criminal-record policies online and file annual reports with the Secretary of State. The bill also changes firefighter certification rules for first offenders, restricts certain criminal history records held by the Georgia Crime Information Center, revises first offender exoneration procedures, and requires trafficking-victim sentence-vacating petitions to be filed under seal. Most of the licensing provisions take effect July 1, 2027, for applications filed on or after that date; the rest take effect July 1, 2026.
What the bill does
- Requires professional licensing boards to prove that a felony or 'covered misdemeanor' directly relates to the licensed occupation before refusing or revoking a license based on it.
- Gives applicants facing denial written notice of the specific criminal-record issues, 30 days to respond, and a right to a hearing before a final decision.
- Creates a 'predetermination' process letting people, including those still incarcerated, ask a board in advance whether their criminal record would block them from a license.
- Requires boards to post their criminal-record licensing standards on their websites and file annual reports on applications, denials, and predeterminations with the Secretary of State.
- Lets local fire chiefs certify and employ as firefighters people who completed first offender sentences for a felony, at the fire council's discretion.
- Restricts certain criminal history records kept by the Georgia Crime Information Center and revises the process for first offender exoneration and for sealing trafficking-victim sentence-vacating petitions.
Who it affects
People applying for or holding licenses in fields such as accounting, chiropractic care, cosmetology, massage therapy, real estate appraisal and brokerage, structural pest control, and insurance sales or adjusting, especially those with criminal records. It also affects the licensing boards themselves, the Secretary of State's office, fire departments considering hiring first offenders, and people petitioning courts to vacate trafficking-related sentences.
Why it matters
People with past convictions who want a Georgia occupational license would get a clearer, more predictable path: notice of problems, a chance to respond, a hearing, and even an advance answer before they invest in training. Licensing boards would face new procedural steps, deadlines, and reporting duties before they can deny or revoke a license over a criminal record.
Key provisions
- Section 1-1 defines 'conviction,' 'covered misdemeanor' (generally a misdemeanor from the past five years, or certain listed offenses regardless of age), and 'felony' for use across Title 43 licensing law.
- Section 1-4 requires boards to show it is 'more likely than not' that a criminal record supports denial, consider listed rehabilitation factors, and issue written findings signed by the board's presiding officer within 60 days.
- Section 1-4 also creates a predetermination petition process (subsection (q)(5)) letting individuals, including incarcerated people, ask a board in advance whether their record would disqualify them, with a hearing required within 60 days if the board leans toward denial.
- Section 1-4 requires boards to post their criminal-record standards online and file annual reports with the Secretary of State by March 31 on applications, denials, and predetermination outcomes.
- Sections 2-1 through 2-8 add similar predetermination processes and direct-relationship standards for accountants, chiropractors, massage therapists, real estate appraisers and brokers, and structural pest control operators.
- Part III (Sections 3-1) creates parallel predetermination processes for insurance agents, agencies, and public adjusters licensed through the Insurance Commissioner.
- Part IV (Section 4-1) allows local fire councils discretion to certify and employ as firefighters people who completed a first offender sentence for a felony.
- Part VI sets most licensing provisions (Parts I-IV) to take effect July 1, 2027 for applications filed on or after that date, with other parts effective July 1, 2026.
From the bill
“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a professional licensing board shall provide individualized consideration of an individual's criminal record and shall not automatically deny licensure on the basis of the individual's criminal record.”
“No applicant shall be restricted from reapplying for licensure more than two years from the date of the most recent application”
“an individual with a criminal record may petition a professional licensing board at any time, including while incarcerated and before starting or completing any required professional qualifications for licensure, for a predetermination as to whether such individual's criminal record will disqualify him or her from obtaining a license”
Discussed in meetings (3)
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 Small Business Development Committee, March 10, 2026
From 0:12:38 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The Georgia Micro Enterprise Network's chief executive officer supported SB 207, describing it as legislation concerning occupational licensing for people returning from incarceration. The witness argued that helping those individuals start businesses could reduce repeat offenses and create businesses that hire and train workers. The witness said the organization was providing entrepreneurship training to more than 50,000 incarcerated individuals nationwide and that its curriculum was available in more than 3,000 facilities, including introductions to heating and cooling work and plumbing. The presentation did not explain the bill's specific licensing procedures. The committee took no action on the bill.
House floor session, March 31, 2026 (legislative day 39, part 3)
From 1:41:00 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the measure creates a process for certain professional licensing boards to consider applicants’ criminal records and requires a connection between a conviction and the profession when denying a license on that basis. The sponsor said the business community reported labor shortages and difficulties licensing workers whose convictions may be unrelated to their jobs. A member supported the proposal but questioned why comparable help was not available to people seeking unlicensed work, such as warehouse jobs. The sponsor said sensitive professions had been excluded and described rules for boards’ access to records and applicants’ appeals. The House adopted its amendment without objection, then agreed to the Senate amendment to the House substitute as further amended by the House, 160 to 3.
Senate floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, part 1)
From 6:35:56 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor described SB 207 as occupational-licensing reform for people with criminal records. The sponsor said licensing boards would need a direct connection between a past offense and the occupation before denying a license, helping people return to work after involvement with the justice system. The sponsor credited support from business, criminal-justice and faith-based organizations. The sponsor said the House removed some boards from coverage but retained all boards under the Secretary of State, and urged passage despite the narrower scope. No questions or opposition followed. The Senate agreed to the House amendment to its earlier changes, 50 to 0.
Status timeline
- Effective Date
- Act 628
- Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
- House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (House)
- Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
Show full history (18 actions)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Brian Strickland (R, SD-42)
- Matt Brass (R, SD-6)
- Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
- Bill Cowsert (R, SD-46)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
- Elena Parent (D, SD-44)
- Kim Jackson (D, SD-41)
- Blake Tillery (R, SD-19)
- John Albers (R, SD-56)
- Carden Summers (R, SD-13)
- Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
- Ed Setzler (R, SD-37)
- Max Burns (R, SD-23)
- Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)
- Tyler Paul Smith (R, HD-18)
Votes
- Senate voteMarch 6, 2025
55 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 0 excused)
- House voteApril 4, 2025
170 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 9 excused)
- Senate voteApril 4, 2025
53 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 1 excused)
- House voteMarch 31, 2026
160 yea, 3 nay (4 not voting, 9 excused)
- Senate voteApril 2, 2026
50 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 3 excused)
Topics
- occupational licensing
- criminal record reform
- professional licensing boards
- first offender law
- insurance licensing