---
title: SB 587. Offenses Against Public Health and Morals; the establishment of an animal cruelty database; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb587
cite_as: SB 587, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb587
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb587.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb587/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73645
date: 2026-05-11
status: passed
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/sb586.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb588.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 1444
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb587.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 587
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-11
last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-01
sponsors:
  - Shawn Still
  - Jason T. Dickerson
  - Carden Summers
  - John Albers
  - Chuck Hufstetler
  - Max Burns
  - Bo Hatchett
  - Randy Robertson
  - Russ Goodman
  - Blake Tillery
  - Mike Hodges
  - Ricky Williams
  - Bill Cowsert
  - Chuck Payne
  - Steven McNeel
  - Frank Ginn
  - Billy Hickman
  - Marty Harbin
  - Matt Brass
  - Sam Watson
  - Lee Anderson
  - Timothy Bearden
  - Brian Strickland
  - Kay Kirkpatrick
  - Beth Camp
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB587/2025
upstream_id: 2124751
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - animal cruelty
  - child abuse investigations
  - elder abuse
  - public safety databases
  - criminal justice
---

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

## Text

Senate Bill 587
By: Senators Still of the 48th, Dickerson of the 21st, Summers of the 13th, Albers of the
56th, Hufstetler of the 52nd and others
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapters 5 and 12 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to crimes against the person and offenses against public health and morals, so as to provide
for a court order to locate an alleged victim of child or elder abuse; to provide for the
establishment of an animal cruelty database; to provide for purpose and funding; to require
clerks of court to transmit certain conviction and sentencing information to the Prosecuting
Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia; to require the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of
the State of Georgia to create, administer, and maintain such database; to provide for
minimum requirements; to provide for reporting and forms; 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 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes against
the person, is amended by adding a new subsection to Code Section 16-5-70, relating to
cruelty to children, to read as follows:
<ins>"(f) Where there is an open investigation relating to an alleged offense in violation of this
Code section, and the child is moved from a known address to an unknown location, the
</ins>
<ins>superior court for the county of the known address may grant an order to locate the parent
or guardian of record upon a showing by a law enforcement official an inquiry regarding
the welfare and safety of the child is necessary to complete such investigation."
</ins> SECTION 2.
Said chapter is further amended by adding a new subsection to Code Section 16-5-102,
relating to exploitation and intimidation of disabled adults, elder persons, and residents, and
obstruction of investigation, to read as follows:
<ins>"(d) Where there is an open investigation relating to an alleged offense in violation of this
Code section, and the disabled adult, elder person, or resident is moved from a known
address to an unknown location, the superior court for the county of the known address
may grant an order to locate the guardian of record upon a showing by a law enforcement
official an inquiry regarding the welfare and safety of the disabled adult, elder person, or
resident is necessary to complete such investigation."
</ins> SECTION 3.
Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to offenses against
public health and morals, is amended in Article 1, relating to general provisions, by adding
a new subsection to Code Section 16-12-4, relating to cruelty to animals, to read as follows:
<ins>"(i)(1) Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly or other available funding, by
January 1, 2027, the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia shall create,
administer, and maintain on its website a state-wide, publicly searchable animal cruelty
database. The primary purpose of such database shall be to assist animal shelters, animal
protection and control agencies, and other organizations and members of the public
involved in animal placement determinations in screening prospective owners and
preventing animals from being placed in dangerous situations. At minimum, such
database shall:
</ins>
<ins>(A) List the full names of each individual who has been convicted of or entered a plea
of guilty or nolo contendere to any violation of this Code section or Code Section
16-6-6, 16-7-21.2, 16-11-107, or 16-12-37;
(B) Be accessible at no cost; and
(C) Be updated no less than monthly.
(2) When a person is convicted of an offense identified in subparagraph (A) of
paragraph (1) of this subsection, the clerk of the court shall electronically transmit a copy
of such conviction and sentence to the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of
Georgia within 60 days of entry of such conviction and sentence.
(3) The Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia shall be authorized to
solicit input from state law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys in determining
information to be included in the animal cruelty database. All state law enforcement,
prosecution and corrections agencies, offices, and departments shall cooperate with and
shall provide in a timely manner any information acquired relating to a violation
described in subparagraph (1)(A) of this subsection to the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council
of the State of Georgia to be included in the animal cruelty database in a format
prescribed by such council pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(4) The Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia shall be authorized to
create and promulgate a uniform reporting form to be used by state law enforcement,
prosecution and corrections agencies, offices, and departments in reporting information
for inclusion in the animal cruelty database."
</ins> SECTION 4.
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 create a public, searchable animal cruelty database run by the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council, and would let courts order the location of moved child or elder abuse victims during open investigations.

### Plain-language summary

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.

### What it does

- 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.

### Who it affects

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.

### Why it matters

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.

### Key provisions

- 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.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-05-11)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 (2026-05-11)
- Sponsors: Shawn Still, Jason T. Dickerson, Carden Summers, John Albers, Chuck Hufstetler, Max Burns, Bo Hatchett, Randy Robertson, Russ Goodman, Blake Tillery, Mike Hodges, Ricky Williams, Bill Cowsert, Chuck Payne, Steven McNeel, Frank Ginn, Billy Hickman, Marty Harbin, Matt Brass, Sam Watson, Lee Anderson, Timothy Bearden, Brian Strickland, Kay Kirkpatrick, Beth Camp
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73645

> The history, votes, and amendments (1,444 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb587.md?full=1