---
title: SR 533. Senate Study Committee on Enhancing Public Safety and Civic Health; create
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sr533
cite_as: SR 533, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr533
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr533.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr533/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71964
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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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 497
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr533.md?full=1
bill_number: SR 533
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:
  - Donzella James
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR533/2025
upstream_id: 2018606
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - public safety
  - autism
  - PTSD
  - emergency response
  - legislative study committees
---

# SR 533. Senate Study Committee on Enhancing Public Safety and Civic Health; create

## Text

Senate Resolution 533
By: Senator James of the 28th
ADOPTED SENATE
A RESOLUTION
Creating the Senate Study Committee on Enhancing Public Safety and Civic Health; and for
other purposes.
WHEREAS, individuals diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) face unique challenges during emergencies, which can lead to
communication barriers, heightened anxiety, and difficulties in following emergency
responders' instructions; and
WHEREAS, medical chain bracelets have helped countless individuals with heart issues,
epilepsy, and seizures; and
WHEREAS, 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; and
WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Public Health may develop such bracelets in
collaboration with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and
with support from state and local law enforcement, fire departments, EMS, and ASD
advocacy groups; and
WHEREAS, such a program would enhance public safety while promoting a more inclusive
and compassionate emergency response system; and
WHEREAS, a study is needed to evaluate the impact of implementing an official emergency
alert bracelet program in Georgia.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:
(1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Study Committee
on Enhancing Public Safety and Civic Health.
(2) Members and officers. The President of the Senate shall appoint five members of
the Senate and shall designate two such members as cochairpersons of the committee.
One such cochairperson shall be a member of the majority party and one such
cochairperson shall be a member of the minority party.
(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 cochairpersons 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 and funding.
(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) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member
of the committee for more than four 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 cochairpersons 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 cochairpersons 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 cochairpersons of the committee and filed
with the Secretary of the Senate.
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the cochairpersons 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 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.

### Plain-language summary

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 it 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.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-03-31)
- Last action: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (2026-03-31)
- Sponsors: Donzella James
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71964

> The history, votes, and amendments (497 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr533.md?full=1