SR 216: Senate Study Committee on Vulnerable Roadway Users; create

This resolution creates the Senate Study Committee on Vulnerable Roadway Users, made up of five senators appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom will chair it. The resolution points to rising pedestrian and cyclist deaths in Georgia and cites data ranking the state among the most dangerous for pedestrians. It notes that striking a pedestrian is often treated as a minor offense unless injuries are classified as serious, that injury data appears underreported, and that some traffic violations bureau laws have not been updated in over 50 years, letting defendants avoid court and leaving victims unable to give impact statements. The committee is directed to study these issues, including infrastructure spending on safety measures, and recommend legislation if it sees fit. Members get standard legislative allowances for up to five days of meetings, funded through the Senate's budget. The committee must file any report before it is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the Senate Study Committee on Vulnerable Roadway Users, composed of five senators appointed by the President of the Senate.
• Directs the committee to study penalties, enforcement, and traffic violations bureau rules affecting pedestrians and cyclists.
• Authorizes the committee to recommend legislation based on its findings.
• Grants legislative members standard per diem allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to five days unless more are authorized.
• Requires funding to come from money already appropriated to the Senate rather than new funds.
• Sets the committee to be abolished automatically on December 1, 2025, after which it must have filed any approved report.

Georgia senators appointed to the committee, pedestrians and cyclists involved in roadway crashes, drivers who could face changed penalties, local and state agencies handling traffic violations bureaus, and state infrastructure planners whose safety spending may be reviewed.

If the committee's work leads to future legislation, it could change how seriously Georgia treats crashes that hurt pedestrians and cyclists, how traffic violations bureaus handle such cases, and whether victims get to speak in court. For now, it only sets up a study, not new rules.

• Paragraph 1 creates the Senate Study Committee on Vulnerable Roadway Users.
• Paragraph 2 sets the committee at five senators appointed by the President of the Senate, who also names the chairperson.
• Paragraph 3 charges the committee with studying roadway safety issues and recommending legislation if warranted.
• Paragraph 5 sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five paid days unless extended, funded from existing Senate appropriations.
• Paragraph 6 requires any approved findings or legislative recommendations to be filed as a report with the Secretary of the Senate before abolishment.
• Paragraph 7 abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2025-03-04Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2025-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2025-02-20Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-02-19Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Elena Parent (D, SD-44)Primary sponsor
• John Albers (R, SD-56)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-52)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-41)
• John F. Kennedy (R, SD-18)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-40)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-39)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-35)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-50)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-27)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-51)

1. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 1 excused)

   CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SENATE STUDY COMMITTEES: Senate Vote #380

• pedestrian safety
• cyclist safety
• traffic laws
• legislative study committee
• road safety enforcement