HB1608: HB1608 Georgia Youth Advisory Council; create

Georgia currently has no statewide council of young people advising the Governor on youth issues. This bill would add a new article to Title 50 of Georgia law creating the Georgia Youth Advisory Council, made up of 15 members between ages 14 and 21: one from each congressional district plus one at-large member picked by the Governor. Members would serve two-year terms, meet at least quarterly, and receive no pay beyond reimbursement for expenses like travel. The Office of the Governor would run the application process and provide staff support. The council's job would be to study issues affecting young people such as education, employment, substance abuse, foster care, homelessness, and online safety, and to send the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and House Speaker an annual report by November 30 each year.

• Creates the Georgia Youth Advisory Council as a new 15-member advisory body under Title 50 of Georgia law.
• Requires one youth member from each of Georgia's congressional districts plus one at-large member chosen by the Governor.
• Sets member qualifications: Georgia residency and age between 14 and 21, serving renewable two-year terms.
• Directs the council to meet at least quarterly and to form committees studying issues like cyber fraud and online predators.
• Requires an annual report on the council's findings to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House by November 30.
• Assigns the Office of the Governor to run the application process and provide administrative support.

Georgia youth between ages 14 and 21 who might apply to serve on the council, the Governor's office which runs the application process and provides staff support, and state leaders including the Lieutenant Governor and House Speaker who receive the council's annual report.

The bill gives young Georgians a formal, though unpaid, channel to raise concerns directly with the Governor on topics like foster care, homelessness, and online safety, and creates a recurring public report on youth issues that state leaders would review each year.

• Section 1 adds new Code sections 50-12-160 through 50-12-163 to Title 50, creating the council and defining 'youth' as ages 14 to 21.
• Subsection (c) sets membership at 15: one per congressional district plus one at-large member appointed by the Governor.
• Subsection (e) has the Governor's office run an application process open to youth statewide.
• Subsection (f) sets two-year terms with the possibility of reappointment and fills vacancies the same way as original appointments.
• Subsection (h) requires quarterly meetings at minimum, called by the chairperson or the Governor.
• Code Section 50-12-161 lists the council's duties, including studying youth issues and forming committees on topics like cyber fraud and digital predators.
• Code Section 50-12-162 requires an annual report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House by November 30.
• Code Section 50-12-163 assigns administrative and staffing support for the council to the Office of the Governor.

1. 2026-04-02House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-31House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-27House Hopper (House)

• Omari Crawford (D, HD-089)Primary sponsor
• Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
• Bryce Berry (D, HD-056)
• Akbar Ali (D, HD-106)
• Imani Barnes (D, HD-086)

• youth advisory council
• state government commissions
• youth policy
• Governor's office
• foster care and homelessness