SR 255: Senate Study Committee on Combating Unscrupulous Companion Animal Breeding Practices; create

This resolution sets up the Senate Study Committee on Combating Unscrupulous Companion Animal Breeding Practices. The preamble describes concerns about puppy mills and backyard breeding operations that prioritize profit over animal welfare, leading to inhumane conditions, stray and feral animal population growth, public safety risks, and financial strain on taxpayers, shelters, and rescue organizations. The committee will have five Senate members appointed by the President of the Senate, who also names a chairperson. The committee can hold meetings as needed to study these issues and recommend action or legislation. Members receive standard legislative allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 for up to five days unless more are authorized, funded through the Senate's existing budget. Any approved findings or recommendations must be filed as a report before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the Senate Study Committee on Combating Unscrupulous Companion Animal Breeding Practices, made up of five Senate members appointed by the President of the Senate.
• Directs the committee to study problems tied to unscrupulous animal breeding and recommend legislation or other action.
• Allows the chairperson to call and schedule meetings as needed to carry out the study.
• Provides legislative members standard per diem allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless more are authorized, funded through Senate appropriations.
• Requires any approved findings or legislative recommendations to be filed as a report with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee ends.
• Sets the committee's abolishment date as December 1, 2025.

The resolution directly affects the five appointed Senate members who will serve on the committee. Indirectly, it concerns companion animal breeders, animal shelters and rescue organizations, local governments dealing with stray animal enforcement, and Georgia taxpayers who bear cleanup costs from breeding operation crackdowns.

The committee itself does not change any law, but its work could shape future legislation on animal breeding licensing, enforcement, and animal welfare standards in Georgia. Any recommendations would need separate bills to take legal effect after the committee's report is filed.

• Paragraph (1) formally creates the study committee.
• Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at five Senate members appointed by the President of the Senate, who designates the chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) gives the committee authority to study breeding-related problems and recommend action or legislation.
• Paragraph (5) ties member allowances to O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 and caps paid days at five unless additional days are approved, funded from Senate appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved report with findings or legislative recommendations to be filed with the Secretary of the Senate before abolishment, or committee minutes filed if no report is approved.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-03-28Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2025-03-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
4. 2025-02-26Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-02-24Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Carden Summers (R, SD-13)Primary sponsor
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-51)
• John F. Kennedy (R, SD-18)
• Larry Walker, III (R, SD-20)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-40)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-39)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-4)
• Harold Jones II (D, SD-22)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-41)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-46)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-47)
• Randal Mangham (D, SD-55)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-30)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-24)
• Rick Williams (R, SD-25)
• Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-5)
• Emanuel Jones (D, SD-10)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-11)
• John Albers (R, SD-56)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-48)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-52)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-42)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-3)
• Derek Mallow (D, SD-2)
• David Lucas (D, SD-26)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-49)
• Freddie Powell Sims (D, SD-12)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-14)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-15)
• Nabilah Parkes (D, SD-7)

1. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

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

   CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SENATE STUDY COMMITTEES: Senate Vote #380

• animal welfare
• puppy mills
• animal breeding regulation
• legislative study committees