--- title: SR 771. Senate Study Committee on Adoption and Permanency Affordability; create collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr771 cite_as: SR 771, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr771 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr771.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr771/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73211 date: 2026-03-10 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. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr770.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr772.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 433 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr771.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 771 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-10 last_action: Senate Passed/Adopted sponsors: - Randy Robertson - Brian Strickland - Blake Tillery - Ed Setzler - Jason Anavitarte - Matt Brass - Billy Hickman - Shawn Still - Mike Hodges - Sam Watson - Russ Goodman - Ben Watson - Max Burns - Chuck Payne - Frank Ginn - Clint Dixon - Marty Harbin text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR771/2025 upstream_id: 2116208 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - adoption - child welfare - family law - state study committees - adoption costs --- # SR 771. Senate Study Committee on Adoption and Permanency Affordability; create ## Text Senate Resolution 771 By: Senators Robertson of the 29th, Strickland of the 42nd, Tillery of the 19th, Setzler of the 37th, Anavitarte of the 31st and others ADOPTED SENATE A RESOLUTION Creating the Senate Study Committee on Adoption and Permanency Affordability; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the State of Georgia has a compelling interest in promoting the welfare of children, ensuring safe and permanent family placements, and supporting policies that encourage adoption and permanency for children who cannot remain with their biological families; and WHEREAS, adoption serves as a critical permanency outcome for children placed through private, domestic, and international adoption systems, offering long-term stability and improved life outcomes; and WHEREAS, despite broad public support for adoption, many prospective adoptive families report that the financial costs of adoption present a significant barrier to entry, even for families otherwise willing and qualified to adopt; and WHEREAS, the total costs of adoption include, but are not limited to, home studies, agency fees, legal representation, court costs, background checks, training requirements, post-placement supervision, interstate compact compliance, and related administrative expenses; and WHEREAS, adoption costs can vary significantly depending on the type of adoption pursued, including private domestic adoption, relative or kinship adoption, and international adoption, creating disparities in access and affordability; and WHEREAS, concerns have been raised regarding whether certain regulatory, administrative, or procedural requirements, while well-intended, may unnecessarily increase costs, delay permanency, or discourage prospective adoptive parents; and WHEREAS, Georgia law addresses adoption across multiple titles of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, including but not limited to Title 19 and Title 49, which may benefit from coordinated review to ensure efficiency; and WHEREAS, questions have arisen as to whether Georgia's current adoption framework adequately balances child safety, family integrity, and administrative oversight with the goal of timely and affordable permanency; and WHEREAS, tax credits, deductions, employer based benefits, grants, and other financial incentives have been used at the federal and state levels to offset adoption related expenses, yet the accessibility, adequacy, and effectiveness of such incentives may warrant further evaluation; and WHEREAS, adoptive parents of children with special needs face additional financial and logistical challenges, including medical, therapeutic, educational, and long-term support costs, which can affect adoption outcomes and permanency stability; and WHEREAS, faith based organizations, nonprofit agencies, private adoption providers, and state licensed child-placing agencies play a significant role in Georgia's adoption ecosystem, and their regulatory obligations, cost structures, and service models may merit review; and WHEREAS, other states have undertaken reforms in recent years to streamline adoption procedures, reduce unnecessary costs, expand tax incentives, and promote permanency outcomes, providing potential models for Georgia to consider; and WHEREAS, a study committee is needed to evaluate whether Georgia's adoption systems could be improved through legislative, administrative, or fiscal reforms, including consideration of: (1) The primary cost drivers associated with adoption in Georgia; (2) The impact of state and federal regulatory requirements on adoption affordability and timelines; (3) Whether existing fees, licensing requirements, or procedural mandates could be clarified, streamlined, or modernized while maintaining child safety; (4) The availability and effectiveness of state tax credits, deductions, or other financial incentives related to adoption; (5) The interaction between state adoption policies and federal programs or benefits; (6) Barriers faced by middle-income families seeking to adopt; (7) Adoption outcomes for children with special needs or complex medical or behavioral needs; (8) The role of public-private partnerships in expanding adoption access; and (9) Potential legislative options to promote timely, safe, and affordable permanency for children; and WHEREAS, a comprehensive study involving legislators, child welfare professionals, adoption agencies, adoptive parents, legal practitioners, economists, faith based organizations, and other stakeholders is necessary to fully understand the conditions, needs, gaps, and opportunities for reform. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE: (1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Study Committee on Adoption and Permanency Affordability. (2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of at least five members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The President 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 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 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 a study committee to examine why adoption costs so much in Georgia and whether state laws or regulations could be changed to make adoption more affordable. ### Plain-language summary This resolution sets up the Senate Study Committee on Adoption and Permanency Affordability. It does not change any adoption laws itself. Instead, it directs at least five senators, appointed by the President of the Senate, to study the costs and barriers involved in adopting a child in Georgia, from home studies and agency fees to legal costs and post-placement supervision. The committee will look at whether state regulations, fees, or licensing requirements add unnecessary costs, how well existing tax credits and incentives work, and the specific challenges facing middle-income families and families adopting children with special needs. Members get standard legislative allowances for up to five meeting days, paid from Senate funds. Any findings or recommended legislation must be filed as a report before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2026. ### What it does - Creates the Senate Study Committee on Adoption and Permanency Affordability, made up of at least five senators appointed by the President of the Senate. - Directs the committee to study cost drivers, regulatory burdens, tax incentives, and barriers facing middle-income and special-needs adoptive families in Georgia. - Authorizes the committee to hold meetings called by its chairperson and to recommend legislation or administrative action. - Provides legislative members standard per diem allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless more are approved, funded through Senate appropriations. - Requires a report with any findings or proposed legislation to be filed with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee's abolishment. - Sets the committee to automatically dissolve on December 1, 2026. ### Who it affects Georgia senators appointed to the committee, prospective and current adoptive parents, child welfare professionals, adoption agencies (including faith based and nonprofit providers), legal practitioners, and children awaiting adoptive placement, especially those with special needs. ### Why it matters No adoption law changes yet, but the committee's findings could shape future legislation on adoption fees, licensing rules, and tax incentives. Families considering adoption, agencies handling placements, and lawmakers weighing reforms would all be watching what the committee recommends before it disbands at the end of 2026. ### Key provisions - Paragraph 1 creates the Senate Study Committee on Adoption and Permanency Affordability. - Paragraph 2 sets membership at a minimum of five senators appointed by the President of the Senate, who also names the chairperson. - Paragraph 3 charges the committee with studying adoption-related conditions and problems and recommending legislation if needed. - Paragraph 5 sets per diem allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, limited to five paid days unless more are authorized, funded from Senate appropriations. - Paragraph 6 requires any approved findings or legislative recommendations to be filed as a report with the Secretary of the Senate before abolishment. - Paragraph 7 abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-10) - Last action: Senate Passed/Adopted (2026-03-10) - Sponsors: Randy Robertson, Brian Strickland, Blake Tillery, Ed Setzler, Jason Anavitarte, Matt Brass, Billy Hickman, Shawn Still, Mike Hodges, Sam Watson, Russ Goodman, Ben Watson, Max Burns, Chuck Payne, Frank Ginn, Clint Dixon, Marty Harbin - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73211 > The history, votes, and amendments (433 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr771.md?full=1