HB1254: HB1254 Professions and businesses; move regulation of various professions from individual boards to Secretary of State

Georgia currently regulates several professions through their own boards or commissions: the State Board of Cemeterians, the Georgia Auctioneers Commission, the State Board of Registration for Professional Geologists, and the State Board of Hearing Aid Dealers and Dispensers. This bill eliminates each of those bodies and moves licensing, registration, discipline, and rulemaking authority to the Secretary of State. For cemeteries, the Secretary of State takes over registration of cemetery owners and preneed dealers, gains a new five-member Cemeterians Advisory Group, and cemetery owners must adopt business continuity and succession plans. For auctioneers, the bill rewrites Chapter 6 of Title 43 entirely, moving licensing, criminal background checks, and the auctioneers education, research, and recovery fund to the Secretary of State, with penalties up to $1,000 and 90 days in jail for unlicensed auctioning. Geologist registration moves to the Secretary of State under a new 'Registration of Professional Geologists Act,' with civil penalties up to $10,000. Hearing aid dispensing is folded into the State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensing, which grows from eight to ten members. Most changes take effect July 1, 2026.

• Eliminates the State Board of Cemeterians and transfers its registration, rulemaking, and disciplinary powers over cemetery owners and preneed dealers to the Secretary of State.
• Creates a five-member Cemeterians Advisory Group inside the Secretary of State's office to advise on fees, cemetery regulation, and disciplinary matters.
• Requires every registered cemetery owner to adopt a written business continuity and succession plan covering records, communications, and continuity of operations.
• Dissolves the Georgia Auctioneers Commission effective July 1, 2026, and rewrites the auctioneer licensing chapter so the Secretary of State issues licenses, runs background checks, and administers the auctioneers education, research, and recovery fund.
• Abolishes the State Board of Registration for Professional Geologists and creates a new 'Registration of Professional Geologists Act' under the Secretary of State, with civil penalties up to $10,000 for violations.
• Eliminates the State Board of Hearing Aid Dealers and Dispensers and moves hearing aid dispenser licensing into an expanded State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensing.

Cemetery owners and preneed dealers, licensed auctioneers, professional geologists, and hearing aid dispensers in Georgia are directly affected, along with the boards and commissions being dissolved. Consumers who buy cemetery plots, attend auctions, hire geologists, or purchase hearing aids also interact with the new licensing structure.

Georgians in these professions would apply for, renew, and defend their licenses through the Secretary of State's office instead of a dedicated board of peers, changing who reviews applications, investigates complaints, and issues discipline. Consumers who rely on state-regulated cemeteries, auctions, geological work, or hearing aid purchases would see the same licensing requirements enforced by a different state office.

• Section 1-2 gives the Secretary of State authority over cemetery trust funds, escrow accounts, and investigations, replacing the former dual authority of the Board of Funeral Service and State Board of Cemeterians.
• Section 1-3 creates the Cemeterians Advisory Group, made up of four registered cemetery owners and one consumer, serving four-year terms without pay.
• Section 1-5 requires cemetery owners to maintain a business continuity and succession plan covering records backup, alternate communications, and temporary relocation of operations.
• Section 1-13 repeals Chapter 8B of Title 43, the 'Georgia Cemeterians Board Act,' eliminating that board's statutory basis entirely.
• Section 2-1 repeals and re-enacts Title 43, Chapter 6, moving auctioneer licensing, reciprocity, and the education and recovery fund to the Secretary of State, with misdemeanor penalties up to $1,000 and 90 days for unlicensed auctioning.
• Section 3-1 repeals and re-enacts Chapter 19, creating the 'Registration of Professional Geologists Act' under the Secretary of State and setting civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation.
• Section 4-1 repeals the existing hearing aid dealers and dispensers chapter, and Section 4-6 creates a new Article 3 folding hearing aid dispenser licensing into the speech-language pathology and audiology board, effective July 1, 2026.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 473
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-27Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-27Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2026-03-27Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
8. 2026-03-27Senate Tabled (Senate)

• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)Primary sponsor
• James Hatchett (R, HD-155)
• Will Wade (R, HD-009)
• Brian Prince (D, HD-132)
• Devan Seabaugh (R, HD-034)
• Matthew Gambill (R, HD-015)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2026

   163 yea, 3 nay (2 not voting, 9 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #679

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2026

   26 yea, 22 nay (3 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #835

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 5 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #851

• professional licensing
• Secretary of State
• cemetery regulation
• auctioneer licensing
• hearing aid dispensers