---
title: Georgia House and Senate meetings on January 27, 2026
collection: meetings
id: meetings:day:2026-01-27
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27.md
date: 2026-10-23
status: active
corpus_version: meetings-2026-10-23-8c15ead0f18d
license: Machine transcript and summaries by Georgia Commons from the General Assembly's public video; the video stays on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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date: 2026-01-27
count: 10
---

# Georgia House and Senate meetings on January 27, 2026

## Senate Rules Committee, January 27, 2026

30 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1152261885. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/senate-rules.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee unanimously approved substitutes for HB 483, concerning added protections for code enforcement officials, and HB 117, requiring restaurants and other food service establishments to identify imported shrimp. Members questioned the shrimp bill’s scope, enforcement and possible price effects. The committee also discussed a substitute for HB 377 that would require local governments to select certain design professionals based first on qualifications, rather than price. Members asked about bidding requirements, negotiations and safeguards against steering contracts to particular firms. The chair postponed that vote until the House sponsor could attend and help answer questions.

## House floor session, January 27, 2026 (legislative day 7)

1 h 22 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1158507555. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/house-floor.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The House gave first readings to 17 bills and resolutions and second readings to 22 others, without debate or votes on their passage. The House also adopted a group of honorary and memorial resolutions without objection. Members recognized Holocaust Remembrance Day, literacy efforts and visiting community groups, remembered community members who had died, and thanked workers responding to winter weather. During afternoon remarks, one member criticized immigration enforcement near schools and another defended law enforcement officers and criticized rhetoric directed at them. The House adjourned until January 28 at 10 a.m.

## Senate floor session, January 27, 2026 (legislative day 7)

2 h 12 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1158498527. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/senate-floor.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The Senate read new legislation and committee reports, adopted a resolution recognizing early childhood reading efforts, and adopted a consent calendar of recognition resolutions. Senators spent much of the session discussing a fatal federal immigration enforcement encounter in Minnesota and constitutional rights. Several urged passage of SR 605, but no vote on it was shown. Other speakers called for an investigation, transparency and support for law enforcement. The Senate transferred SB 166 to the Urban Affairs Committee and passed an unidentified group of local bills, 46 to 0. Senators also gave notice of plans to consider House changes to SB 9, SB 148 and SB 170 on the next legislative day. The Senate adjourned until January 28 at 10 a.m.

## House Judiciary Committee, January 27, 2026

50 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1072205230. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/house-judiciary.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The House Judiciary Committee approved five measures: HB 999, allowing additional magistrate court fees through local legislation and correcting an election-law provision; HR 251, proposing a constitutional amendment for nonpartisan probate judge elections; HB 557, adding a sixth superior court judge in the Northeastern Judicial Circuit; HB 960, adding a twelfth superior court judge in Gwinnett; and HB 676, imposing a penalty for knowingly filing an unauthorized mechanic’s lien. The committee considered a substitute for HB 557 that moved dates back one year. All five measures passed by voice vote, with no opposition heard.

## House Defense & Veterans Affairs Committee, January 27, 2026

42 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1147719790. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/house-defense-and-veterans-affairs.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee unanimously approved two bills. HB 110 would add state penalties for title pawn transactions involving service members and other people protected by federal military lending law. HB 985 would revise eligibility for burial in Georgia veterans cemeteries, including adding eligible Hmong Laotian guerrilla veterans and changing service and dependent eligibility rules. Members discussed how lenders verify military status, how burial rules relate to federal requirements, burial costs, and outreach to eligible families.

## House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee, January 27, 2026 (part 1)

2 h 29 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1153722354. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/house-energy-utilities-and-telecommunications-part-1.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee heard testimony on HB 998, which would remove the Universal Access Fund’s 2030 expiration and allow additional smaller telephone companies to join its regulated funding program. The sponsor and rural-provider representatives said continued funding was needed to preserve affordable phone service and access to 911 where cellular coverage remains unreliable. AT&T and Georgia Cable Association witnesses raised concerns about growing subsidies, declining landline use and unanswered questions about costs and alternatives. Members debated an amendment to continue funding only through December 31, 2038. The amendment failed, and the committee approved the bill. Vote totals were not announced.

## House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee, January 27, 2026 (part 2)

2 h 04 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1159168582. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/house-energy-utilities-and-telecommunications-part-2.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee heard testimony on HB 998, which would remove the 2030 end date for part of Georgia’s Universal Access Fund and let additional eligible telephone companies join the program. Supporters said continued funding would protect rural phone service and providers’ access to financing. AT&T and Georgia Cable Association witnesses raised concerns about rising costs and requested more information about who still needs subsidized service. Members rejected an amendment that would instead end distributions after December 31, 2038. The committee then approved the bill. Vote counts were not stated.

## Senate Children and Families Committee, January 27, 2026

45 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1158952941. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/senate-children-and-families.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee considered and approved two bills. SB 402 would expand an autism screening and evaluation pilot for children in foster care. Members amended it to require annual reports beginning July 1, 2027, and to clarify that the law would be repealed after the final report, rather than an earlier annual report. The committee revisited its initial approval to make those changes, then approved the amended bill. SB 383 would update child fatality review procedures, membership recommendations, terminology and reporting deadlines. The committee approved it unanimously.

## Senate Education and Youth Committee, January 27, 2026

35 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1157374171. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/senate-education-and-youth.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee considered SB 412, which the sponsor said would let teachers and other school personnel use up to five days of accumulated sick leave each school year for personal or professional reasons, rather than three. Members discussed who could approve the leave. Witnesses from the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, Georgia School Boards Association and Department of Education supported the proposal. The committee approved the bill unanimously. The chair announced that there would be no Thursday meeting and that meetings would resume the following Tuesday.

## Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee, January 27, 2026

1 h 09 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1158968010. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-27/senate-regulated-industries-and-utilities.md

Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee unanimously approved amended versions of three bills: HB 571, concerning radiologist assistant licensing; SB 146, concerning cemetery protections and access; and SB 239, separating funeral director and embalmer licensing requirements. Members discussed healthcare workforce needs, procedures for moving graves and maintaining family cemeteries, and funeral industry staffing and education. Amendments updated dates in all three bills and reduced a proposed minimum size for new private cemeteries. The chair said there was not enough time to hear SB 34, concerning electric utility costs associated with data centers. The chair asked sponsors to request hearings for remaining bills.