SB525: SB525 Juvenile Code; recording of all proceedings under the juvenile code; require

Georgia's juvenile code (O.C.G.A. § 15-11-17) currently governs how juvenile court hearings are conducted but does not clearly require every proceeding to be recorded. This bill rewrites that section to say all proceedings under the juvenile code must be recorded, either by a court stenographer or by electronic or mechanical means capable of capturing a full and complete record of everything said. The bill also amends the section on parties' rights (O.C.G.A. § 15-11-19) to say that anyone who is a party to a juvenile court case has the right to a full and complete record of the proceeding, and does not need to get a court order to receive it. The Department of Human Services gets the same right whenever the juvenile court has allowed it to take part in a case. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not state a specific effective date beyond the standard process.

• Requires that all proceedings under the juvenile code be recorded by stenographic notes or by electronic or mechanical means capturing a full and complete record of spoken words.
• Gives any party to a juvenile court proceeding the right to obtain a full and complete record of that proceeding.
• Removes any requirement that a party obtain or produce a court order before receiving the record of a juvenile proceeding.
• Grants the Department of Human Services the same right to a full and complete record whenever the juvenile court has allowed the department to participate in a case.
• Keeps existing rules that juvenile hearings are held without a jury and generally follow Georgia's evidence code (Title 24).

Children and families involved in Georgia juvenile court cases, juvenile court judges and staff who must ensure recordings are made, attorneys representing parties, and the Department of Human Services when it participates in juvenile proceedings such as abuse or neglect cases.

Parties in juvenile court, including parents and children, and the Department of Human Services would gain guaranteed access to accurate transcripts without needing a judge's permission, which could make it easier to review what happened in a hearing or to appeal a decision.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 15-11-17 to require that all juvenile court proceedings be recorded by stenographic notes or electronic or mechanical means capturing every spoken word.
• Section 1 retains existing rules that hearings are held without a jury and generally follow Georgia's evidence code (Title 24), and preserves flexibility for judges to hold hearings within their judicial circuit.
• Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 15-11-19 to give any party the right to a full and complete record of a proceeding without needing a court order.
• Section 2 gives the Department of Human Services the same right to a full record whenever the juvenile court has allowed the department to participate.
• Section 3 repeals any existing laws that conflict with these changes.

1. 2026-02-19Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-02-18Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)Primary sponsor
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Jason T. Dickerson (R, SD-021)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)

• juvenile court
• court records
• child welfare
• Department of Human Services
• court transcripts