---
title: O.C.G.A. § 37-3-206. Licensing requirement; funding contingency.
collection: code
id: 37-3-206
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 37-3-206 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-3-206
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-3-206.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-3-206/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t37-t39-(v28)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=6f93000f_0#page=89
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-3.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-3-205.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-3-207.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: Effective January 1, 2026.
in_force: true
other_versions:
  - version: Effective until January 1, 2026.
    in_force: false
    md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-3-206.md?version=until+January+1%2C+2026
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: MENTAL HEALTH / EXAMINATION, TREATMENT, ETC., FOR MENTAL ILLNESS / ADULT RESIDENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES LICENSING
---

# O.C.G.A. § 37-3-206. Licensing requirement; funding contingency.

(a) On and after January 1, 2026, no governing body shall operate an adult residential mental health program without having a valid license or provisional license issued pursuant to this article; provided, however, that hospitals licensed in accordance with Chapter 7 of Title 31 are exempt from this article unless the hospital is operating an adult residential mental health program that is separate and distinct from the licensed hospital.

(b) This Code section shall become effective only upon the effective date of a specific appropriation of funds for purposes of this article, as expressed in a line item making specific reference to this article in a General Appropriations Act enacted by the General Assembly.

## History

Code 1981, § 37-3-206, enacted by Ga. L. 2022, p. 587, § 1/HB 1069, effective May 19, 2023; Ga. L. 2024, p. 382, § 2/HB 1083, effective April 23, 2024; Ga. L. 2025, p. 177, § 3-4/HB 584, effective January 1, 2026.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2022, p. 587, § 1/HB 1069, as reflected in subsection (b) of this Code section, provides that this Code section becomes effective only when funds are specifically appropriated for the purposes of the Act in an Appropriations Act making specific reference to this Act. Funds were appropriated at the 2023 session of the General Assembly.

## Amendments

The 2024 amendment, effective April 23, 2024, substituted “July 1, 2025” for “January 1, 2024” near the beginning of subsection (a).

The 2025 amendment, effective January 1, 2026, substituted “January 1, 2026” for “July 1, 2025” in subsection (a).

## Delayed Effective Date

Code Section 37-3-206 is set out twice in this Code. This version is effective January 1, 2026. For version effective until January 1, 2026, see the preceding version.