SR 311: Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences; create

Recovery residences, sometimes called sober living homes, house people recovering from addiction but currently operate without state regulation or registration in Georgia. This resolution notes that an estimated 256 such residences exist in the state, though their number and quality are not well tracked, raising concerns that some facilities could prioritize profit over resident safety. The resolution creates a five-member Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences, appointed by the President of the Senate, plus the commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities or a designee. The committee will study conditions and problems at these facilities and can recommend legislation or other action. It sets rules for meetings, member expense reimbursement, and reporting, and the committee is scheduled to be abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences to examine sober living facilities in Georgia.
• Sets committee membership at five Senate appointees plus the commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities or a designee.
• Directs the committee to study problems with recovery residences and recommend legislation or other action it finds necessary.
• Allows legislative members to receive standard daily allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless more are authorized.
• Requires any approved findings or recommendations to be filed as a report with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee is abolished.
• Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2025.

People living in or seeking recovery residences (sober living homes) in Georgia, the operators of those facilities, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Community Health, and Senate members appointed to the study committee.

Because recovery residences are currently unregulated and unregistered in Georgia, the state has limited information about their safety or quality. This committee's findings could shape future legislation on oversight, potentially affecting how these homes operate and how safe they are for residents.

• Paragraph (1) creates the Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership at five senators appointed by the President of the Senate, plus the commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities or a designee, with a legislative chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying recovery residence conditions and recommending action or legislation.
• Paragraph (5) sets allowances and reimbursement rules, capping paid days at five unless additional days are authorized, funded through Senate appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved report or recommendations to be filed with the Secretary of the Senate before abolishment.
• 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. 2025-03-20Senate Withdrawn & Recommitted (Senate)
5. 2025-03-03Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
6. 2025-02-28Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)Primary sponsor
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-19)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-24)

1. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

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

   CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SENATE STUDY COMMITTEES: Senate Vote #380

• recovery residences
• addiction recovery
• sober living homes
• behavioral health
• legislative study committees