---
title: SR 482. Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC); create a study committee; urge
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sr482
cite_as: SR 482, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr482
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr482.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr482/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71731
date: 2026-03-31
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.
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previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr481.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr483.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 497
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr482.md?full=1
bill_number: SR 482
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-31
last_action: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
sponsors:
  - Timothy Bearden
  - Bill Cowsert
  - Drew Echols
  - Kay Kirkpatrick
  - John Albers
  - Randy Robertson
  - Billy Hickman
  - Sam Watson
  - Matt Brass
  - Carden Summers
  - Max Burns
  - Ben Watson
  - Chuck Payne
  - Frank Ginn
  - Clint Dixon
  - Brandon Beach
  - Ricky Williams
  - John Kennedy
  - Jason Anavitarte
  - Bo Hatchett
  - Steve Gooch
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR482/2025
upstream_id: 2016142
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - nuclear power
  - energy policy
  - Public Service Commission
  - Georgia Power
  - legislative study committees
---

# SR 482. Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC); create a study committee; urge

## Text

Senate Resolution 482
By: Senators Bearden of the 30th, Cowsert of the 46th, Echols of the 49th, Kirkpatrick of the
32nd, Albers of the 56th and others
ADOPTED SENATE
A RESOLUTION
Creating the Senate Nuclear Power Study Committee; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, advanced nuclear reactors (ANRs) are capable of supporting Georgia's growing
energy needs by providing clean, reliable power for urban centers, industrial facilities, data
centers, and desalination plants; and
WHEREAS, nuclear power is more reliable than coal, wind, and solar power, offering the
resilience essential for everyday use and extreme weather conditions; and
WHEREAS, researching the use of ANRs and creating a plan for future innovations in fusion
power and radioactive waste for means of energy production could increase power generation
and economic development in this state; and
WHEREAS, Georgia has the chance to lead the national competition in advanced nuclear
power, and an efficient ANR strategy can bring jobs, manufacturing support, and supply
chain gains to this state; and
WHEREAS, the global nuclear market is projected to triple by 2050, and establishing
Georgia as the preferred supplier for American ANR technology can open international
opportunities and offer an alternative to Chinese and Russian nuclear reactor technology for
allies and partners; and
WHEREAS, with enhanced safety, scalability, and integration potential, ANRs are a key
solution for Georgia's energy reliability and stability to meet the growing energy demands
of this state; and
WHEREAS, Georgia can gain competitive advantages by cutting red tape and establishing
incentives to accelerate advanced nuclear deployment, overcome regulatory hurdles, and
attract investment to solidify Georgia as the global nuclear energy hub.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:
(1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Nuclear Power
Study Committee.
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of 14 members:
(A) Five members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate;
(B) One member of the House of Representatives may be appointed by the Speaker of
the House of Representatives;
(C) Two representatives from Georgia Power;
(D) Two representatives from electrical membership corporations located in Georgia;
(E) Two representatives from the Public Service Commission; and
(F) Two representatives from the Municipal Electrical Authority of Georgia.
The President of the Senate shall designate a legislative member of the committee as
chairperson of the committee.
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.
(5) Allowances.
(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided
for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,
or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the
committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the
performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they
are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.
(C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state officials, or state
employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that
specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state
employees.
(D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member
of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds
necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds
appropriated to the Senate.
(6) Report.
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)
of this paragraph.
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with
the Secretary of the Senate.
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Secretary
of the Senate a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia Senate resolution creates the Senate Nuclear Power Study Committee to examine advanced nuclear reactors and related energy policy, with the panel set to dissolve by December 1, 2026.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution sets up a 14 member Senate Nuclear Power Study Committee made up of senators, one House member, and representatives from Georgia Power, electrical membership corporations, the Public Service Commission, and the Municipal Electrical Authority of Georgia. The committee's job is to study advanced nuclear reactors and related issues like fusion power and radioactive waste, and to recommend any action or legislation it thinks is needed.
The resolution lays out how the committee is run: the President of the Senate names a chairperson, the chairperson calls meetings, and legislative members get standard legislative expense allowances while other members get state employee style reimbursement, capped at five days unless extended. Any findings or recommended legislation must be approved by a majority of a quorum and filed with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2026.

### What it does

- Creates a 14 member Senate Nuclear Power Study Committee with representatives from the Senate, House, Georgia Power, electrical membership corporations, the Public Service Commission, and the Municipal Electrical Authority of Georgia.
- Directs the committee to study advanced nuclear reactors, fusion power, and radioactive waste issues and recommend legislation if it finds any necessary.
- Sets pay and expense rules: legislative members get standard legislative allowances, state officials get expense reimbursement only, and other members get a daily allowance capped at five days unless extended.
- Requires any committee report or recommended legislation to be approved by majority vote and filed with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee ends.
- Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2026.

### Who it affects

Members of the Georgia Senate and House who may be appointed to the committee, Georgia Power, electrical membership corporations, the Public Service Commission, and the Municipal Electrical Authority of Georgia, all of which supply representatives, plus any Georgians affected by future nuclear energy legislation the committee proposes.

### Why it matters

The resolution itself does not change nuclear energy law, but it sets up a formal process for Georgia lawmakers, utilities, and regulators to study advanced nuclear reactors and possibly draft future legislation affecting how nuclear power is developed and regulated in the state.

### Key provisions

- Paragraph (1) creates the Senate Nuclear Power Study Committee.
- Paragraph (2) sets its membership at 14: five senators, up to one House member, two from Georgia Power, two from electrical membership corporations, two from the Public Service Commission, and two from the Municipal Electrical Authority of Georgia.
- Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying nuclear power issues and recommending action or legislation.
- Paragraph (5) sets allowance and reimbursement rules, capping non-legislative daily allowances at five days unless extended, funded through Senate appropriations.
- Paragraph (6) requires any report with legislative recommendations to be approved by majority vote of a quorum and filed with the Secretary of the Senate.
- Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-03-31)
- Last action: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (2026-03-31)
- Sponsors: Timothy Bearden, Bill Cowsert, Drew Echols, Kay Kirkpatrick, John Albers, Randy Robertson, Billy Hickman, Sam Watson, Matt Brass, Carden Summers, Max Burns, Ben Watson, Chuck Payne, Frank Ginn, Clint Dixon, Brandon Beach, Ricky Williams, John Kennedy, Jason Anavitarte, Bo Hatchett, Steve Gooch
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71731

> The history, votes, and amendments (497 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr482.md?full=1