HB 1396: State government; require certain privately funded organizations that operate a shelter or provide outreach services to homeless individuals participate in the Georgia Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

Georgia currently has a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) that tracks services provided to homeless individuals, but privately funded shelters and outreach programs are not required to participate in it. This bill would create a new requirement in the Department of Community Affairs' governing law: any privately funded organization that runs a shelter or provides outreach services (defined as medical care, clothing, food, or shelter) within 1,000 feet of a school, college, child care center, public park, or playground would have to sign up as an authorizing agency in the HMIS. Owners or operators who do not comply could be issued a noncriminal citation by a law enforcement officer. The requirement would not apply to small organizations that served fewer than ten people in the past year, and it would only apply to properties within a ten-mile radius of a large multi-county city that levies a transit sales tax and has an independent school system, effectively limiting the bill's reach to the metro Atlanta area.

• Requires privately funded shelters and outreach programs near schools, colleges, child care centers, parks, and playgrounds to join the state's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) as authorizing agencies.
• Creates a noncriminal citation penalty issued by law enforcement for organizations that fail to comply.
• Exempts small organizations that served fewer than ten individuals through outreach, employment, or social services in the prior 12 months.
• Limits the entire requirement to properties within ten miles of a large multi-county municipality with a transit sales tax and an independent school system, which targets the metro Atlanta area.
• States legislative findings about the state's interest in coordinated, data-driven oversight of homelessness services funded by taxpayer money.

Privately funded organizations that run homeless shelters or provide outreach services like food, clothing, medical care, or shelter, particularly those operating near schools, colleges, child care centers, parks, or playgrounds in the metro Atlanta area. Also affects local law enforcement, who would issue citations, and homeless individuals who receive services from these organizations.

Homeless service providers near schools and parks in metro Atlanta would face a new legal obligation to share client data through a shared statewide tracking system, backed by citations for noncompliance. This could change how smaller nonprofits operate and how their services are monitored, while very small operations remain exempt.

• Section 1 lays out legislative findings about the state's interest in coordinated, accountable, and data-driven homeless services in metro Atlanta.
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 50-8-19, defining 'outreach services' as medical care, clothing, food, or shelter.
• Subsection (b) requires covered organizations within 1,000 feet of schools, colleges, child care centers, parks, or playgrounds to participate in the HMIS as authorizing agencies, with noncriminal citations for violations.
• Subsection (c) exempts organizations that served fewer than ten individuals in outreach, employment, or social services during the prior 12 months.
• Subsection (d) limits the law's applicability to properties within a ten-mile radius of a multi-county municipality with a transit sales tax and an independent school system.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-04-02House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2026-03-27Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senado)
3. 2026-03-27Senate Third Read (Senado)
4. 2026-03-27Senate Taken from Table (Senado)
5. 2026-03-27Senate Tabled (Senado)
6. 2026-03-19Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
7. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
8. 2026-03-04Senate Read and Referred (Senado)

• Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)Patrocinador principal
• Todd Jones (R, HD-025)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes3 de marzo de 2026

   105 a favor, 58 en contra (5 sin votar, 9 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #597

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado27 de marzo de 2026

   26 a favor, 22 en contra (3 sin votar, 3 ausentes)

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

3. AprobadaVotación: Senado27 de marzo de 2026

   32 a favor, 17 en contra (1 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Motion For The Previous Question: Senate Vote #843

4. RechazadaVotación: Senado27 de marzo de 2026

   17 a favor, 33 en contra (0 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Adoption Of Amendment #2 By The Senator From The 9th: Senate Vote #844

5. RechazadaVotación: Senado27 de marzo de 2026

   20 a favor, 29 en contra (1 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Adoption Of Amendment #3 By The Senator From The 41st: Senate Vote #845

6. AprobadaVotación: Senado27 de marzo de 2026

   33 a favor, 17 en contra (0 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #846

7. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes2 de abril de 2026

   93 a favor, 75 en contra (2 sin votar, 6 ausentes)

   Agree To Senate Am As Am: House Vote #851

• homelessness services
• metro Atlanta
• data tracking
• shelters and outreach
• school proximity laws