--- title: SB 259. Juvenile Code; certain procedures to be followed when there is a determination of suspected child abuse or neglect; provide collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sb259 cite_as: SB 259, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb259 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb259.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb259/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70797 date: 2025-05-12 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 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/sb258.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb260.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 996 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb259.md?full=1 bill_number: SB 259 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-05-12 last_action: Effective Date 2025-05-12 sponsors: - Matt Brass - Greg Dolezal - Kay Kirkpatrick - Ricky Williams - Mike Hodges - Blake Tillery - Sam Watson - Max Burns - Jason Anavitarte - Donzella James - Michael Rhett - Chuck Payne - Brandon Beach - Kim Jackson - Russ Goodman - Brian Strickland - Kenya Wicks - Randy Robertson - Mandi Ballinger text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB259/2025 upstream_id: 1985822 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - child abuse and neglect - juvenile courts - parental rights - medical evaluations - child protective custody --- # SB 259. Juvenile Code; certain procedures to be followed when there is a determination of suspected child abuse or neglect; provide ## Text 25 SB 259/AP Senate Bill 259 By: Senators Brass of the 6th, Dolezal of the 27th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Williams of the 25th, Hodges of the 3rd and others AS PASSED A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the1 Juvenile Code, so as to provide for certain procedures to be fo llowed when there is a2 determination of suspected child abuse or neglect; to provide f or a physician holding3 temporary physical custody of a child based on a suspicion of c hild abuse or neglect to4 provide certain information to a parent or legal guardian and to the Division of Family and5 Children Services; to provide for a definition; to provide for a parent or legal guardian to6 obtain an independent medical evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation; to provide for7 a court to consider the results of an independent medical evalu ation or pediatric specialty8 consultation; to provide for a short title; to provide for rela ted matters; to provide for an9 effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:11 SECTION 1.12 This Act shall be known and may be cited as "Ridge's Law."13 S. B. 259 - 1 - 25 SB 259/AP SECTION 2.14 Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotate d, relating to the Juvenile15 Code, is amended in Article 3, relating to dependency proceedings, by revising subsection (b)16 of Code Section 15-11-131, relating to temporary protective custody of child by physician17 without court order and without parental consent and immunity, as follows:18 "(b) A physician holding a child in temporary protective custody shall:19 (1) Make reasonable and diligent efforts to inform the child's parents, guardian, or legal20 custodian of the whereabouts of such child and the right to obtain an independent medical21 evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation as provided for under Code22 Section 15-11-131.1;23 (2) As soon as possible, make a report of the suspected abuse or neglect which caused24 him or her to take temporary custody of the child and inform DFCS of the basis of his or25 her determinations, including whether a physical examination was conducted and what26 medical records were reviewed, and that such child has been held in temporary custody;27 and28 (3) Not later than 24 hours after such child is held in temporary custody:29 (A) Contact a juvenile court intake officer, and inform such i ntake officer that such30 child is in imminent danger to his or her life or health as a result of suspected abuse or31 neglect; or32 (B) Contact a law enforcement officer who shall take such chil d and promptly bring33 such child before a juvenile court intake officer."34 SECTION 3.35 Said chapter is further amended in said article by adding a new Code section to read as36 follows:37 S. B. 259 - 2 - 25 SB 259/AP "15-11-131.1.38 (a) As used in this Code section, the term 'pediatric specialt y consultation' means a39 consultation with a physician licensed to practice medicine in this state and board certified40 in the relevant pediatric field or specialty, including radiolo gy, genetics, orthopedics,41 endocrinology, neurosurgery, child abuse pediatrics, gastroenterology, surgery, or forensic42 pathology, and to diagnose and treat certain health conditions, including rickets,43 Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, vitamin D deficiency, or other medical44 conditions related to the differential diagnosis of child abuse or neglect.45 (b) Any parent or legal guardian of a child who is taken into temporary protective custody46 pursuant to Code Section 15-11-131 shall have the right to obtain an independent medical47 evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation of such child at his or her own expense unless48 prohibited by court order. Physicians and medical professionals, law enforcement officers,49 and DFCS shall cooperate as may reasonably be necessary to faci litate an independent50 medical evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation for such child.51 (c) At any hearing concerning a child before the court in a de pendency proceeding52 pursuant to this article, the court shall consider the results from an independent medical53 evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation of such child.54 (d) No adjudication hearing scheduled in accordance with Part 8 of this article shall be55 continued solely because the results from an independent medical evaluation or pediatric56 specialty consultation of the child before the court are unavailable."57 SECTION 4.58 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law59 without such approval and shall apply to any legal action filed on or after such effective date.60 SECTION 5.61 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.62 S. B. 259 - 3 - ## 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. Senate Bill 259, called 'Ridge's Law,' sets new rules for what happens when a physician takes a child into protective custody over suspected abuse or neglect, including a family's right to a second medical opinion. ### Plain-language summary Under Georgia's Juvenile Code (O.C.G.A. Chapter 11 of Title 15), a physician can hold a child in temporary protective custody without a court order or parental consent if the doctor suspects abuse or neglect. This bill changes what that physician must do afterward and gives families a new right to challenge the medical basis for that decision. The bill requires the physician to tell parents or guardians where the child is and that they can get an independent medical evaluation or a pediatric specialty consultation. The physician must also report to the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) the basis for the suspicion, including whether an exam was done and what records were reviewed. A new Code section defines 'pediatric specialty consultation' and says courts must consider the results of any independent evaluation at dependency hearings, though a hearing cannot be delayed solely because those results are not yet available. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it and would apply to legal actions filed after that date. ### What it does - Requires a physician holding a child in temporary protective custody to tell the parents or guardian where the child is and about their right to an independent medical evaluation. - Requires the physician to report to DFCS the basis for suspecting abuse or neglect, including whether a physical exam was done and what records were reviewed. - Creates a new legal definition of 'pediatric specialty consultation' covering fields like radiology, genetics, orthopedics, and child abuse pediatrics. - Gives parents or legal guardians the right to get an independent medical evaluation of the child at their own expense, unless a court order blocks it. - Requires courts to consider the results of any independent medical evaluation or specialty consultation during dependency hearings. - Prohibits courts from delaying an adjudication hearing solely because independent evaluation results are not yet available. ### Who it affects The bill affects physicians who take children into protective custody over suspected abuse or neglect, parents and legal guardians of those children, DFCS staff, law enforcement officers, juvenile court intake officers, and judges handling dependency proceedings in Georgia's juvenile courts. ### Why it matters Families whose children are removed by a doctor over suspected abuse would gain a clearer right to seek a second medical opinion and have it weighed by the court, while doctors and DFCS would face new reporting duties, changing how quickly and transparently these child custody decisions are handled. ### Key provisions - Section 1 names the bill 'Ridge's Law.' - Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 15-11-131(b) to require physicians to inform parents of their right to an independent evaluation and to report exam and record details to DFCS. - Section 3 adds new O.C.G.A. § 15-11-131.1, defining 'pediatric specialty consultation' and creating the right to an independent medical evaluation at the family's own expense. - Section 3 also requires courts to consider independent evaluation results at dependency hearings but bars delaying adjudication hearings solely for lack of those results. - Section 4 makes the Act effective upon the Governor's signature (or becoming law without signature) and applies it to legal actions filed on or after that date. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-05-12) - Last action: Effective Date 2025-05-12 (2025-05-12) - Sponsors: Matt Brass, Greg Dolezal, Kay Kirkpatrick, Ricky Williams, Mike Hodges, Blake Tillery, Sam Watson, Max Burns, Jason Anavitarte, Donzella James, Michael Rhett, Chuck Payne, Brandon Beach, Kim Jackson, Russ Goodman, Brian Strickland, Kenya Wicks, Randy Robertson, Mandi Ballinger - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70797 > The history, votes, and amendments (996 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb259.md?full=1