SB 434: Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection; establishment

Georgia does not currently have a dedicated state office focused on homeless youth. This bill would add a new section to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A. § 49-5-26) creating the Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection within the Department of Community Affairs. The office would have a director appointed by the commissioner and would be tasked with coordinating across state agencies, local governments, and community groups, collecting statewide data on homeless youth, and building programs aimed at preventing homelessness and increasing permanent housing placements for young people up to age 25. The office would have to publish an annual report to top state officials and legislative committees each April, covering data trends, progress, gaps, and recommendations. A 12-member advisory committee of social workers, lawmakers, agency staff, affected youth, and caregivers would advise the office and would dissolve on December 31, 2029. The office must begin operating by January 1, 2027, but the whole law only takes effect if the General Assembly specifically appropriates funding for it.

• Creates the Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection inside the Department of Community Affairs, led by a director appointed by the commissioner.
• Directs the office to coordinate statewide efforts among agencies, local governments, and community partners to track and reduce youth homelessness.
• Requires the office to collect data on homeless youth and publish an annual report by April 1 to the Governor, legislative leaders, and specific House and Senate committees.
• Establishes a 12-member advisory committee with social workers, legislators, agency staff, youth who experienced homelessness, and caregivers, serving two-year terms.
• Sets the advisory committee to automatically dissolve on December 31, 2029, and requires the office to begin operating by January 1, 2027.
• Makes the entire Act contingent on the General Assembly specifically appropriating funds for it in a future appropriations bill.

Homeless and at-risk youth up to age 25 in Georgia, the Department of Community Affairs and its Division of Family and Children Services, licensed social workers, members of the House and Senate who would serve on the advisory committee, and parents, guardians, or kinship caregivers of youth who have experienced homelessness.

If funded, Georgia would gain a dedicated state office tracking and coordinating responses to youth homelessness, which advocates could use to identify service gaps and push for policy or budget changes. Because the law only takes effect with a specific appropriation, its real-world impact depends entirely on future budget decisions.

• New Code Section 49-5-26(a) defines 'homeless youth,' 'office,' and 'young person' (up to age 25) for purposes of the law.
• Subsection (b) and (c) establish the office within the Department of Community Affairs and require the commissioner to appoint a director.
• Subsection (d) lists the office's core duties: statewide coordination, data-sharing agreements, closing policy and funding gaps, and prevention programs.
• Subsection (e) requires an annual report by April 1 to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, House Speaker, and named House and Senate committees.
• Subsections (f) through (j) create a 12-member advisory committee with defined categories of members, two-year terms, quarterly meetings, unpaid service (with reimbursed expenses), and a sunset date of December 31, 2029.
• Subsection (k) requires the office to begin operations no later than January 1, 2027.
• Section 2 makes the entire Act effective only if the General Assembly specifically appropriates funding for it in an appropriations Act.

1. 2026-01-29Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-01-28Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)Primary sponsor
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)

• youth homelessness
• child welfare
• state agencies
• housing policy
• legislative advisory committees