Georgia CommonsSenate Rules Committee, February 2, 2026
2025-2026 Regular Session · 450 CAP · 11 min
This is a machine transcript of the General Assembly's video, made by a speech-recognition model. It is not an official record and can mishear words, names, and numbers. Speakers are not identified. The video is the record: every timestamp links to the moment it plays.
The video is the General Assembly's, played from its Vimeo channel. Select any time below to play that moment. Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary
Written by an AI model (gpt-6.1-sol) from the transcript. It is not part of the record, and the video is what was said.
The committee returned SB 116 to a standing committee so the sponsor could make changes. It reviewed SB 146, concerning access to family cemeteries, but did not select it for the next day's floor calendar. Members also discussed homeowner property-tax provisions in SB 382 and coastal fisheries management under SB 420. The committee unanimously approved a calendar placing SB 382 and SB 420 before the Senate the next day.
Bills discussed (4)
Each account covers the stretch of the meeting it names. The bill's number is said in that stretch, unless it was the only bill on a committee's agenda.
SB 116. DNA Sampling; the collection of DNA samples from any individual in a detention facility charged with a misdemeanor or felony who is subject to an immigration detainer notice; require
From 0:03:56 · turns 3 to 9
The chair said the sponsor wanted changes to the DNA bill and proposed returning it to a standing committee. The chair said a sheriff's department or sheriffs' association had requested a timing change, possibly involving 48 hours, but did not explain the requirement further. The motion carried by voice vote. The chair said the bill would be heard the next day alongside another bill previously sent back.
SB 146. Health, Local Government, and Property; regulations and protections of cemeteries and burial grounds; provide
From 0:05:07 · turns 10 to 24
The sponsor said the bill would protect cemeteries and allow heirs or descendants to access and maintain family cemeteries on private land through arrangements with landowners. A committee member asked whether that meant negotiation between the parties. The sponsor confirmed that it did and said a superior court judge would make the final decision if the parties could not agree. The committee did not select the bill for the next day's floor calendar.
SB 382. Ad Valorem Taxation; make the state-wide base year homestead exemption mandatory for all political subdivisions
From 0:06:17 · turns 25 to 90
The sponsor said the bill would restore a homeowner property-tax approach that the Senate passed in February 2024 by a 42-7 vote, with everyone included rather than allowed to opt out. The sponsor also said it would speed up property-tax relief funded by the FLOST sales tax. According to the sponsor, the existing law delayed that relief until November of the following year, while the bill would allow money collected through June 30 to reduce property-tax bills that same year. The sponsor said homeowners in 34 counties would see the relief sooner. The chair noted that residents had asked when the money would become available. A committee member requested the bill for the next day's Senate floor calendar. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing this bill and SB 420.
SB 420. License, Permit, Tag, and Stamp Fees; fees for reef and migratory fish endorsement; provide
From 0:07:26 · turns 30 to 90
With the sponsor absent, the president pro tem said their understanding was that the bill would allow the state, rather than the federal government, to manage coastal fisheries within Georgia's waters. Another committee member agreed and said other states to Georgia's north and south, as well as Gulf states, already had such arrangements. That member said Georgia faced restrictions those states did not. A member later selected the bill for the next day's floor calendar and described it as an economic development tool. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing this bill and SB 382.
Transcript
91 turns. Select a time to play that moment of the video.
- 0:03:30
Sarah Walker, our illustrious president pro tem, would you lead us in a word of prayer?
- 0:03:35
Absolutely. Bow with me, please. Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for the many blessings you've given us. Lord, we've had a, a hard-working morning, but, uh, we are thankful to you and g- the strength you give us. Please lead, guide, and direct us in everything we do. Amen.
- 0:03:51
Amen.
- 0:03:53
All right, first order of business, uh, SB 116. The author needs to make some changes on that, and so I would like to refer that to standing committee. Um-
- 0:04:04
Second.
- 0:04:04
Is there any questions? All right, I got a motion.
- 0:04:07
Second.
- 0:04:08
I got a second from Senator Albers. Is there any discussion on that? He, uh, this is DNA bill. He wanted to make a, uh, there was a request from the sheriff's, uh, department, I believe, or sheriff's association on, on a time, like 48 hours or something. So anyway, uh, all right. Motion second. All in favor say aye.
- 0:04:31
Aye.
- 0:04:32
All opposed say nay. Motion carries. Senate Bill 116 is off to standing, where it will be there with Senator Williams' bill we sent there today. And we will hear both of those tomorrow. All right, moving on to the consideration calendar. It is your yellow sheet. You will see we have three bills available. One ding ding, so be ready.
- 0:05:05
All right, let's start out. Senate Bill 146. Senator Williams, you've presented that, but if you'll just give us a quick refresher course.
- 0:05:15
This is, uh, a bill to protect our cemeteries and to make sure that heirs or descendants of cemeteries have access to be able to maintain and keep up a family cemetery, even though it might be on private land. But it's, uh, through mutual consideration that that can be worked out.
- 0:05:36
Okay. Any questions? We've already heard this, just as a reminder. As a reminder.
- 0:05:45
Questions.
- 0:05:46
The senator from the-
- 0:05:46
Senator Robertson, you're recognized at this time.
- 0:05:48
Thank you. Senator from the 27th. Just jogged something in my head. Consideration means negotiation between the two parties?
- 0:05:55
It means a yes or considerate negotiation between the two parties, and if they can't reach an agreement, a superior court judge will hear it, and he will make the, uh-
- 0:06:06
Final decision
- 0:06:06
... the decision, final decision.
- 0:06:07
Thank you, brother. I appreciate that.
- 0:06:09
Sure. Senator Rhett, did you have a-
- 0:06:11
Oh
- 0:06:11
... question?
- 0:06:12
He asked it.
- 0:06:13
Oh, okay. All right, moving on. Senate Bill 382. That is Senator Hufstetler.
- 0:06:24
Keep the same mic here. This bill will restore what the Senate passed in February of 2024 by a 42-7 vote that would say that everyone is opt-in into the, uh, increase. It's just for homeowners only. And, um, the, uh, second thing it does is the, uh, FLOSs tax that, uh, 30-something counties have already passed. Right now, the way the original law was, it says that that money wouldn't be available until November of next year on the property taxes.
- 0:06:55
This would speed it up and say everything through June 30th of this year and any other year would come off the taxes this year, so people would see it on the property tax bills this year in those 34 counties.
- 0:07:06
That's good. I knew I, we had some questions back home on when that money would be available. We did pass it in the FLOSs in Coweta County, so there was some-
- 0:07:14
Well, you'll, you'll get to see it a lot quicker now.
- 0:07:17
Well, good. We need it, as do all Georgians. All right, any questions? Hearing none, moving on. SB 420. Uh, Senator Echols, are you with us?
- 0:07:31
Is that a marijuana bill?
- 0:07:33
I told him to be here.
- 0:07:37
Anybody want to present it?
- 0:07:40
Fish and-
- 0:07:41
It's red snapper.
- 0:07:43
It's a, it's a good bill.
- 0:07:45
I mean-
- 0:07:45
It's a great bill
- 0:07:46
... we did shrimp today. Kind of fun to do.
- 0:07:50
Is it
- 0:07:52
No, it's a license.
- 0:07:54
It's for, it's for, it's for, it's for managing the fish. I need those for
- 0:07:59
The president pro tem's gonna save us. He knows everything about it. Go for it.
- 0:08:04
So the, my understanding is this would allow the state to manage the fisheries on the coast, uh, instead of the federal government that are within our, uh, waters.
- 0:08:18
Well, can I add, add to that?
- 0:08:21
Yes. Uh, Senator Watson, you're recognized.
- 0:08:22
Which is absolutely accurate and, and goes along with other states that do that, too, uh, to our north and to our south and actually in the Gulf, too. So it puts us on par with them because our, we're being restricted, whereas they are not.
- 0:08:36
Okay.
- 0:08:39
I'm for it.
- 0:08:40
Any questions for the author? He's not here. All right. Let's pick a couple. All right, we left off with president pro tem.
- 0:08:51
Had a ding ding.
- 0:08:51
Let's go with the... You did have a ding ding. Did you use it or no?
- 0:08:55
I did not use it.
- 0:08:56
All right. Let's go again. No, you're up. You wanna use it now or you wanna wait?
- 0:08:59
I wanna use it now.
- 0:09:00
You do or don't?
- 0:09:01
I do. I would like to use it now.
- 0:09:03
Yeah.
- 0:09:03
I know that's not very strategic 'cause there's only three bills on here, but I'm really excited about Senate Bill 382, so I'd like to-
- 0:09:11
Oh. Well
- 0:09:11
... see that on the Senate floor tomorrow.
- 0:09:14
Wow. Guess what?
- 0:09:19
Do you wanna use... You only get one more, not two, so just, do you wanna use it now?
- 0:09:26
Uh, no, sir. I-
- 0:09:27
You seem so passionate about red snapper. I didn't think you'd-
- 0:09:29
Yeah. Heck yeah. I wanna, I'll pick Senate Bill 420. I am pretty passionate about it. It's a good economic development tool, too, actually.
- 0:09:37
All right. The pro tem has chosen to extinguish his-
- 0:09:41
Good luck with the shrimp money. I mean, for real, it is
- 0:09:44
... shrimp, snapper. All right. I think that's enough for today, or really for tomorrow. All right. Let's go through the list. I have Senate Bill 382. I have Senate Bill 420. Got, is that it? All right. Everybody get all those? Oh, Senator Rhett.
- 0:10:10
Can you repeat that number again?
- 0:10:11
Yes. We have Senate Bill 382, Senate Bill 420.
- 0:10:15
Thank you, sir.
- 0:10:16
And you could've just said which one it isn't.
- 0:10:21
Leader Jones, you okay?
- 0:10:22
Yes.
- 0:10:23
You sure?
- 0:10:23
Yeah, I'm positive.
- 0:10:24
You look like you're in deep thought.
- 0:10:26
I was.
- 0:10:29
Anything you wanna share with us?
- 0:10:30
I was thinking about why we didn't put 426 on today. That's all.
- 0:10:34
That's something to ponder.
- 0:10:35
Yeah.
- 0:10:36
It ain't gonna be tomorrow. All right.
- 0:10:39
Thank you.
- 0:10:39
We've got a motion from the majority leader. I need a second. I'd like a second.
- 0:10:49
Second.
- 0:10:49
Oh, I, I like voice votes better than hands, so we'll go with the secretary of the rules committee, Senator Cowsert. All right, any further discussion? All in favor say aye.
- 0:11:04
Aye.
- 0:11:04
All opposed say nay. Motion carries unanimous. All right. Meeting adjourned. Get to your committees.