Georgia CommonsSenate · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SR 533: Senate Study Committee on Enhancing Public Safety and Civic Health; create
Last action March 31, 2026 · Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
A Georgia Senate resolution would create a study committee to examine whether the state should develop an emergency alert bracelet program to help first responders identify people with PTSD or autism during emergencies.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This resolution creates the Senate Study Committee on Enhancing Public Safety and Civic Health. The resolution notes that people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can face communication barriers and heightened anxiety during emergencies, and points to existing medical alert bracelets as a possible model for a new type of bracelet that would help police, fire, and EMS personnel recognize someone experiencing a PTSD episode or autism-related distress. The committee would have five Senate members, with two cochairpersons (one from each party), and would study whether Georgia should create such a bracelet program, potentially developed by the Department of Public Health with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. Members get standard legislative per diem allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to four meeting days, paid from Senate funds. The committee must file any findings before it is abolished on December 1, 2026.
What the bill does
- Establishes a five-member Senate study committee to examine creating an emergency alert bracelet program for people with PTSD or autism.
- Directs the committee to study current challenges these individuals face during emergency responder encounters and recommend legislation if appropriate.
- Sets committee structure, requiring two cochairpersons, one from the majority party and one from the minority party.
- Authorizes standard legislative allowances for members for up to four meeting days, funded through the Senate's budget.
- Requires the committee to file an approved report or meeting minutes before it is abolished on December 1, 2026.
Who it affects
People diagnosed with PTSD or autism spectrum disorder, the appointed Senate committee members, the Georgia Department of Public Health, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, and local law enforcement, fire, and EMS agencies that could be involved in any future bracelet program.
Why it matters
If the committee's study leads to legislation, Georgia could adopt a new identification tool meant to help emergency responders recognize and better assist people with PTSD or autism during crisis encounters, potentially changing how first responders interact with these individuals in the field.
Key provisions
- Paragraph (1) creates the Senate Study Committee on Enhancing Public Safety and Civic Health.
- Paragraph (2) requires the President of the Senate to appoint five members and two cochairpersons from different parties.
- Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying emergency response challenges for people with PTSD or autism and recommending legislation.
- Paragraph (5) sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at four days unless additional days are authorized, funded by Senate appropriations.
- Paragraph (6) requires any approved findings or recommendations to be filed as a report before the committee's abolishment date.
- Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.
From the bill
“introducing officially recognized safety devices, similar to existing medical bracelets, to help first responders identify individuals experiencing a PTSD episode or autism-related distress, would help ensure better outcomes from such encounters”
“There is created the Senate Study Committee on Enhancing Public Safety and Civic Health.”
Discussed in meetings (3)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate Rules Committee, March 25, 2026
From 0:04:53 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair brought forward SR 533 for consideration. With no substantive discussion, the committee approved a motion to pass it by substitute.
Senate Rules Committee, March 30, 2026
From 0:27:52 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair included SR 533 in a group of 12 study committee resolutions. The chair said Capitol study committee meetings during the interim would need to use the legislative office building because other meeting rooms would be under renovation. The committee unanimously moved the group to the consent calendar.
Status timeline
- Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Donzella James (D, SD-28)
Votes
- Senate voteMarch 31, 2026
48 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 3 excused)
Topics
- public safety
- autism
- PTSD
- emergency response
- legislative study committees