SR890: SR890 Senate Study Committee on Protecting Free and Fair Markets in Georgia; create

This resolution sets up a temporary study committee in the Georgia Senate to look at how economic power is concentrated among large corporations and how that affects small businesses, family farms, home ownership, and consumers. The committee would review Georgia's current antitrust laws (the rules against monopolies and unfair competition), compare them to what other states have done, and look specifically at how institutional investors buying single-family homes affects housing affordability, and how large technology platforms affect competition. The President of the Senate would appoint five senators to the committee and name one as chairperson. The committee can meet as needed, members get standard legislative allowances for up to five days, and funding comes from the Senate's existing budget. If the committee approves findings or recommendations by majority vote, the chairperson must file a report with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2026.

• Creates the Senate Study Committee on Protecting Free and Fair Markets in Georgia, made up of five senators appointed by the President of the Senate.
• Directs the committee to study Georgia's antitrust laws and how effective current enforcement is against monopolistic behavior.
• Requires the committee to examine economic concentration in housing, technology platforms, agriculture, healthcare, and retail markets.
• Requires the committee to specifically study how institutional and corporate ownership of single-family homes affects housing affordability in Georgia.
• Sets member pay under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 for up to five meeting days, funded through the Senate's budget.
• Abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026, after requiring a report if the committee approves findings by majority vote.

The resolution directly affects members of the Georgia Senate appointed to the committee, and its study touches small businesses, family farmers, homebuyers and renters, technology companies operating in Georgia, and consumers across housing, agriculture, healthcare, and retail markets.

If the committee's work leads to future legislation, it could reshape how Georgia enforces antitrust law, potentially affecting corporate ownership of homes, market power of large agricultural and tech companies, and competition rules that influence prices and choices for Georgia consumers and small businesses.

• Paragraph (1) creates the Senate Study Committee on Protecting Free and Fair Markets in Georgia.
• Paragraph (2) sets the committee at five Senate members appointed by the President of the Senate, who also names the chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) lists the committee's study topics, including antitrust enforcement, economic concentration in key sectors, institutional home ownership, other states' merger review processes, and possible legislative reforms.
• Paragraph (5) sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless additional days are authorized, funded from Senate appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires a report to be filed with the Secretary of the Senate if the committee approves findings by majority vote before abolishment.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2026-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
3. 2026-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
4. 2026-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
5. 2026-03-04Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
6. 2026-03-03Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)Primary sponsor
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   48 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 3 absent)

   Consent Calendar For Senate Study Committees: Senate Vote #875

• antitrust enforcement
• housing affordability
• small businesses
• corporate farms
• market competition