--- title: SB 64. Local Government and State Government; certain transactions between government entities and certain foreign persons; prohibit collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sb64 cite_as: SB 64, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb64 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb64.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb64/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69700 date: 2026-01-12 status: introduced 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/sb63.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb65.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 435 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb64.md?full=1 bill_number: SB 64 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-01-29 last_action: Senate Recommitted sponsors: - Clint Dixon - John Albers - Steve Gooch - Randy Robertson - Billy Hickman - Bo Hatchett - Sam Watson - Marty Harbin - Jason Anavitarte - Max Burns - Ricky Williams - Ed Setzler - Lee Anderson - Russ Goodman text_version: Comm Sub has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB64/2025 upstream_id: 1947648 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - drone regulation - foreign adversary contracting - state contracts - local government procurement - China and Russia restrictions --- # SB 64. Local Government and State Government; certain transactions between government entities and certain foreign persons; prohibit ## Text 25 LC 55 0577S The Senate Committee on Rules offered the following substitute to SB 64: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Titles 36 and 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annot ated, relating to local1 government and state government, respectively, so as to prohibit certain transactions between2 government entities and certain foreign persons; to prohibit go vernment entities from3 acquiring foreign unmanned aircraft systems; to prohibit the use of state funds in connection4 with such unmanned aircraft systems; to prohibit government entities from operating such5 unmanned aircraft systems; to prohibit companies owned or operated by a foreign adversary6 from submitting a proposal for a contract with a state agency for goods or services; to revise7 and provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for8 other purposes.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10 SECTION 1.11 Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to local government, is amended12 by adding a new Code section to read as follows:13 "36-84-2.14 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:15 - 1 - 25 LC 55 0577S (1) 'Covered foreign entity' means an individual, business entity, or foreign government,16 or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof, that is:17 (A) Domiciled in the People's Republic of China or the Russian Federation; and18 (B) Under the influence or control of the government of the People's Republic of China19 or the Russian Federation.20 (2) 'Local government entity' means any political subdivision of this state or any21 department, agency, board, commission, or authority of any such political subdivision.22 (3) 'Small unmanned aircraft system' means an unmanned, powered aircraft that:23 (A) Is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on24 the aircraft;25 (B) Can be expendable or recoverable; and26 (C) Weighs less than 55 pounds, including the weight of anything attached to or carried27 by the aircraft.28 (b) On or after January 1, 2028, no local government entity sh all acquire or enter into a29 contract for the acquisition of a small unmanned aircraft syste m that is manufactured or30 assembled by a covered foreign entity.31 (c) On or after January 1, 2028, no state funds made available to any local government32 entity shall be used in connection with a small unmanned aircra ft system that is33 manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign entity.34 (d) Any local government entity that has acquired or entered i nto a contract for the35 acquisition of a small unmanned ai rcraft system that is manufactured or assembled by a36 covered foreign entity may continue to operate such small unmanned aircraft system until37 January 1, 2029; provided, however, that, after such date, no local government entity shall38 operate such a small unmanned aircraft system."39 - 2 - 25 LC 55 0577S SECTION 2.40 Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, is amended41 by revising Code Section 50-5-84.2, relating to contracting with companies owned by China,42 as follows:43 "50-5-84.2.44 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:45 (1) 'Company' means any sole proprietorship, organization, ass ociation, corporation,46 partnership, joint venture, limited partnership, limited liabil ity partnership, limited47 liability company, or other entity or business association, inc luding all wholly owned48 subsidiaries, majority owned subsidiaries, or parent companies, or affiliates o f s u c h49 entities or business associations, that exists for the purpose of making profit.50 (2) 'Foreign country of concern' means a country whose government is designated as a51 foreign adversary by the United States Secretary of Commerce pu rsuant to 15 C.F.R.52 Section 7.4.53 (3) 'Government of China' means the People's Re public of China le d by the Chinese54 Communist Party.55 (3)(4) 'Scrutinized company' means any company owned or operated by the government56 of China or a foreign country of concern or any company in whic h the government of57 China or a foreign country of concern has an ownership stake.58 (b) A scrutinized company shall be ineligible to, and shall not, bid on or submit a proposal59 for a contract, directly or through a third-party seller, with a state agency for goods or60 services, including, but not limited to, a contract for the pro curement or purchase of61 computers, printers, connecting cables, or interoperable videoconferencing services used62 in connection with an office environment.63 (c) A state agency shall require a company that submits a bid or proposal with respect to64 a contract for goods or services to certify that the company is not a scrutinized company.65 - 3 - 25 LC 55 0577S (d) If the Department of Administrative Services determines that a company has submitted66 a false certification under subsection (c) of this Code section:67 (1) The company shall be liable for a civil penalty in an amou nt that is equal to the68 greater of $250,000.00 or twice the amount of the contract for which a bid or proposal69 was submitted;70 (2) The state agency or the Department of Administrative Servi ces shall terminate the71 contract with the company; and72 (3) The company shall be ineligible to, and shall not, bid on a state contract."73 SECTION 3.74 Said title is further amended by adding new Code section to read as follows:75 "50-5-84.3.76 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:77 (1) 'Covered foreign entity' means an individual, business entity, or foreign government,78 or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof, that is:79 (A) Domiciled in the People's Republic of China or the Russian Federation; and80 (B) Under the influence or control of the government of the People's Republic of China81 or the Russian Federation.82 (2) 'Small unmanned aircraft system' means an unmanned, powered aircraft that:83 (A) Is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on84 the aircraft;85 (B) Can be expendable or recoverable; and86 (C) Weighs less than 55 pounds, including the weight of anything attached to or carried87 by the aircraft.88 (3) 'State agency' means a department, agency, board, commission, or authority of state89 government.90 - 4 - 25 LC 55 0577S (b) On or after January 1, 2028, no state agency shall acquire or enter into a contract for91 the acquisition of a small unmanned aircraft system that is manufactured or assembled by92 a covered foreign entity.93 (c) On or after January 1, 2028, no state funds made available to any state agency shall be94 used in connection with a small unmanned aircraft system that i s manufactured or95 assembled by a covered foreign entity.96 (d) Any state agency that has acquired or entered into a contr act for the acquisition of a97 small unmanned aircraft system that is manufactured or assemble d by a covered foreign98 entity may continue to operate such small unmanned aircraft system until January 1, 2029;99 provided, however, that, after such date, no state agency shall operate such a small100 unmanned aircraft system."101 SECTION 4.102 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.103 - 5 - ## 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 Senate committee substitute would bar Georgia state and local government agencies from buying or using drones made by companies tied to China or Russia, and would tighten an existing ban on state contracts with Chinese-linked companies. ### Plain-language summary This bill amends Georgia's local government and state government codes to restrict dealings with certain foreign-controlled companies. Starting January 1, 2028, local governments and state agencies would be barred from buying, contracting for, or using state funds on small drones (under 55 pounds) manufactured or assembled by a 'covered foreign entity,' defined as an individual, business, or government domiciled in and controlled by China or Russia. Governments that already own such drones could keep operating them only until January 1, 2029. The bill also revises an existing law (O.C.G.A. § 50-5-84.2) on state contracting with 'scrutinized companies' owned or influenced by China, expanding the definition to include companies from any country designated a 'foreign adversary' by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Such companies remain barred from bidding on state contracts for goods or services, face civil penalties up to $250,000 or twice the contract value for false certifications, and lose contract eligibility if caught lying. ### What it does - Bans local government entities from acquiring or contracting for small drones made or assembled by companies controlled by China or Russia, starting January 1, 2028. - Bans state agencies from the same drone purchases and contracts under a new Code section, also starting January 1, 2028. - Prohibits state funds from being used with these foreign-linked drones by either local governments or state agencies. - Forces governments that already operate such drones to stop operating them after January 1, 2029. - Expands the existing 'scrutinized company' contracting ban to cover any company from a country designated a foreign adversary by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, not just China. - Keeps in place a $250,000 or double-contract-value civil penalty for companies that falsely certify they are not scrutinized companies. ### Who it affects Local governments and their departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and authorities across Georgia; Georgia state agencies; the Department of Administrative Services, which enforces certification rules; and companies, especially those linked to China or Russia, that sell drones or bid on state contracts. ### Why it matters Georgia cities, counties, and state agencies that use drones for tasks like law enforcement, inspections, or emergency response could be forced to phase out foreign-made equipment tied to China or Russia by 2029, potentially requiring new purchases. Companies linked to those countries would also lose access to state contracts, with steep financial penalties for false certifications. ### Key provisions - Section 1 adds O.C.G.A. § 36-84-2, barring local government entities from acquiring or funding small drones made by 'covered foreign entities' domiciled in and controlled by China or Russia, effective January 1, 2028. - Section 1 sets a grace period allowing continued operation of already-owned foreign drones until January 1, 2029, after which operation is prohibited. - Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 50-5-84.2 to broaden the definition of 'scrutinized company' to include companies from any country the U.S. Secretary of Commerce designates a foreign adversary under 15 C.F.R. Section 7.4. - Section 2 keeps the ban on scrutinized companies bidding for state contracts and the certification requirement enforced by the Department of Administrative Services. - Section 2 sets civil penalties for false certification at the greater of $250,000 or twice the contract amount, plus contract termination and future bidding ineligibility. - Section 3 adds a parallel new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 50-5-84.3, applying the same drone acquisition, funding, and operation bans to state agencies rather than local governments. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2025-01-29) - Last action: Senate Recommitted (2026-01-12) - Sponsors: Clint Dixon, John Albers, Steve Gooch, Randy Robertson, Billy Hickman, Bo Hatchett, Sam Watson, Marty Harbin, Jason Anavitarte, Max Burns, Ricky Williams, Ed Setzler, Lee Anderson, Russ Goodman - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69700 > The history, votes, and amendments (435 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb64.md?full=1