SB 587: Offenses Against Public Health and Morals; the establishment of an animal cruelty database; provide

This bill makes two separate changes to Georgia law. First, it amends the child cruelty law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70) and the elder and disabled adult abuse law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-102) so that when there's an open abuse investigation and the victim moves from a known address to an unknown one, a superior court can order the location of the parent or guardian of record, if police show it's needed to finish the investigation. Second, it directs the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia to build a free, public, searchable animal cruelty database by January 1, 2027, subject to funding from the General Assembly. The database would list people convicted of or pleading guilty to animal cruelty and related crimes. Court clerks would have to send conviction and sentencing records to the council within 60 days, and law enforcement and prosecution agencies would have to cooperate and share information using a standard reporting form.

• Lets a superior court order the location of a parent or guardian of record when a child abuse victim moves to an unknown address during an open investigation.
• Extends the same court-order-to-locate process to cases involving disabled adults, elder persons, or residents under the abuse and exploitation law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-102).
• Requires the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia to build and maintain a free, public, searchable animal cruelty database by January 1, 2027, subject to funding.
• Requires the database to list people convicted of animal cruelty or related crimes, be free to access, and be updated at least monthly.
• Requires court clerks to electronically send conviction and sentencing records to the council within 60 days of conviction.
• Requires state law enforcement, prosecution, and corrections agencies to cooperate and share relevant information with the council for the database.

Superior courts and law enforcement investigating child or elder abuse cases; parents and guardians of record in those cases; the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia; court clerks statewide; animal shelters and rescue organizations; and people convicted of animal cruelty or related crimes, whose names would appear in the new database.

Investigators could more easily track down guardians when an abuse victim disappears from a known address, potentially speeding up welfare checks. The animal cruelty database would give shelters and the public a way to screen prospective pet owners against past convictions, though it depends on the legislature actually funding it.

• Section 1 adds a new subsection to the child cruelty law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70) allowing a court order to locate a parent or guardian when the child moves during an open investigation.
• Section 2 adds a parallel provision to the elder and disabled adult exploitation law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-102) for the same kind of court order.
• Section 3 adds subsection (i) to the animal cruelty law (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-4), requiring the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council to build a public database by January 1, 2027, subject to appropriations.
• Section 3 requires the database to list convictions under Code Section 16-12-4 and related statutes (16-6-6, 16-7-21.2, 16-11-107, 16-12-37), be free, and update monthly.
• Section 3 requires clerks of court to transmit conviction and sentencing data within 60 days and requires law enforcement and prosecution agencies to cooperate and use a uniform reporting form.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 498
3. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-31Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
6. 2026-03-31House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
7. 2026-03-31House Third Readers (House)
8. 2026-03-27House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)

• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)Primary sponsor
• Jason T. Dickerson (R, SD-021)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Steven McNeel (R, SD-018)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2026

   54 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #656

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 31, 2026

   163 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 9 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #793

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   48 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 4 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #914

• animal cruelty
• child abuse investigations
• elder abuse
• public safety databases
• criminal justice