Georgia CommonsSenate Rules Committee, February 3, 2026
2025-2026 Regular Session · 450 CAP · 12 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 · Agenda
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 approved substitutes for two bills. SB 116 would require local officers to collect DNA from certain detainees with immigration detainers if federal immigration authorities do not pick them up within 48 hours. The motion carried with one opposing vote, and the chair said the bill would move to the general calendar. The committee also unanimously approved a substitute for SB 239 that the sponsor said adds human composting as a method of disposition to account for legislation passed last session. No members of the public spoke on either bill.
Bills discussed (2)
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 0:03:58 · turns 5 to 49
The sponsor said the substitute would require local officers to collect DNA from people charged with a misdemeanor or felony who have an immigration detainer if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not pick them up within 48 hours. The sponsor said ICE already collects DNA when taking custody, so the change would avoid duplicate collection while ensuring a sample is taken before release if ICE does not arrive. The sponsor described the purpose as helping solve unsolved crimes and identify people who return after deportation and commit crimes. Asked how DNA would be collected, the sponsor said by swab. One committee member questioned why one section referred to felony convictions while another referred to misdemeanor or felony charges. The sponsor and the Public Safety Committee chair explained that the conviction language covered an existing category, while the new provision applied to people charged with offenses who also have ICE detainers. No public testimony was offered. The committee approved the substitute with one opposing vote, and the chair said it would move to the general calendar.
SB 239. Funeral Directors and Establishments; funeral directors be licensed embalmers; remove the requirement
From 0:09:13 · turns 50 to 71
The sponsor said the bill had passed a few days earlier but needed a correction to account for human-composting legislation passed last session. The sponsor explained that the substitute adds human composting as a method of disposition. The chair said a floor amendment to make the correction would have been long enough to send the bill back to committee anyway, so addressing it now would save floor time. The underlying bill's broader provisions were not explained. No public testimony was offered, and the committee unanimously approved the substitute.
Transcript
76 turns. Select a time to play that moment of the video.
- 0:03:09
We got a quorum? We're gonna call Rules Standing Committee to order. We've got a caddy in the audience. Um, Senator Williams, would you lead us in a word of prayer? It's a, remember, this is standing rules, so it would need to be a standing rules prayer.
- 0:03:31
Okay.
- 0:03:31
Thank you.
- 0:03:32
Nobody died yet. Okay. Hint, hint. Dear Lord, thank you again for another day. Thank you for the many blessings and opportunities you've bestowed upon us. Thank you for the opportunity to be here, dear Lord, and give us the will, and courage, and wisdom. In thy name we pray, amen.
- 0:03:54
Amen.
- 0:03:55
Amen. All right, first on the agenda is SB 116. Senator Bearden, if you would just go to the podium for us. Tell us about your underlying bill, and then you have a committee sub. There was some, a small change. If you'll cover the, the bill and the change.
- 0:04:17
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
- 0:04:18
For all the readers.
- 0:04:19
We are working off the substitute Senate Bill 116, LC63-0075. The change-
- 0:04:26
The S.
- 0:04:29
Pass.
- 0:04:30
75?
- 0:04:31
77.
- 0:04:31
77.
- 0:04:31
77S.
- 0:04:32
Did I say 5?
- 0:04:33
You said 5.
- 0:04:34
Oh, I'm sorry. S.
- 0:04:35
I just didn't want my committee members to be confused.
- 0:04:37
Apparently, uh, the one presenting's confused too.
- 0:04:39
I don't care if you're confused.
- 0:04:40
Okay, that's perfect.
- 0:04:41
I don't want them confused. Go ahead.
- 0:04:44
Uh, the biggest, uh, change in this bill, if you look on lines 28 through 33, so the bill will basically allow if any, if an illegal alien's arrested or charged in this state, it would allow DNA to be taken. But when you look at lines 28 through 33, once this ICE detainer is placed on them, if ICE picks them up currently within the 48 hours they're supposed to, ICE already takes DNA.
- 0:05:17
So what we're saying now is, at first we had it they were taking, the DNA was taken by our local law enforcement officials. If ICE does not pick up the illegal within 48 hours, then our locals, wherever they're charged or arrested, will then take the DNA. This just, um, really prevents a duplication of a process here. So if, if ICE has already taken the DNA, there's really no sense in us doing it. But if ICE can, for some reason, cannot pick them up within that 48 hours before they are released, then DNA will be taken.
- 0:05:52
Uh, this bill truly just makes sure that we, if there's any unsolved crimes that may be able to be solved by DNA, that we catch those. And if they are deported out of the country and come back and commit a crime, that we can make sure we know who commits the crime. So looking at this strictly as a public safety-type bill.
- 0:06:11
Okay. How are they getting that DNA?
- 0:06:15
It'd be a swab.
- 0:06:16
Swab, okay.
- 0:06:20
Is there any questions from the committee? All right, hold, hold. Uh, I got a question from Senator Harbison.
- 0:06:27
Thank you, sir. Uh, on line, uh, I'm noticing on line 29, convicted has, who's been convicted scratched out, and then it goes to charged with a misdemeanor or felony. But on line I, I see still on 23 that it says convicted of a felony. Is that, am I reading that correctly? Is that what it says in your eyesight as well?
- 0:06:58
Is that ...
- 0:07:01
There's different subsections to the bill. Then C comes in, we're also putting someone that's been charged with a misdemeanor or felony. So these other ones are where they already have the DNA taken-
- 0:07:11
Mm-hmm
- 0:07:11
... but we're bringing in charged with a misdemeanor or felony.
- 0:07:17
And we've got the Chairman of Public Safety who this bill originally came through. Chairman, if you would enlighten us as well, please.
- 0:07:24
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, if you look specifically in that, uh, section C, this is about those who are, have an ICE detainer, which is different from-
- 0:07:32
Yes
- 0:07:32
... someone who would just normally would have ... If you look under subsection C, this is pertaining to somebody who has an ICE detainer on them. Where if you're looking above on section 23, that's just in general somebody who has been convicted of a felony. This is adding that on that because of their illegal presence in the country to begin with.
- 0:07:58
Good question. Any further questions? Hearing none. All right, um, is there anyone that would, from the public, want to speak in favor or against this bill? Did we have a sign-up sheet? Nobody signed up, but we had it out there. Speak now or forever hold your peace. Okay. What is the will of the committee? I got a move do pass from Senator Ginn. I got a second from Chairman Albers. Any further discussion?
- 0:08:30
All right, all in favor raise your right hand.
- 0:08:37
All right. All opposed?
- 0:08:44
One no.
- 0:08:46
One no. Motion carries. On to the general calendar you go. You're in regular rules now, the calendar rules.
- 0:08:55
Calendar.
- 0:08:56
So be gone with you.
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Be gone.
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As my predecessor used to say.
- 0:09:02
That's myself.
- 0:09:04
Yes, the motion was do pass by committee, so.
- 0:09:10
All right, next up we have Senate Bill 239, Senator Williams.
- 0:09:17
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is, uh, the same bill we just passed a few days ago, but ledge council had left out some words, um, called-
- 0:09:26
Blaming on them.
- 0:09:28
I'm sorry?
- 0:09:29
You blaming it on them.
- 0:09:30
Uh, they actually did because they didn't take into consideration the human composting bill we passed-
- 0:09:37
Oh
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... last session.
- 0:09:38
Oh.
- 0:09:38
So they had to go back and put that in here-
- 0:09:41
Oh
- 0:09:41
... so it would be legit.
- 0:09:42
All right. And just so everyone understands procedurally, what happened was, uh, the amendment to fix it was gonna be too long and kick it back here anyway, so, uh, he was kind enough to go ahead and do that and save us some time on the floor on Monday. So that is why the bill is here. And so your, your changes were what you just stated?
- 0:10:08
Yes, sir. That's correct. They were just, uh, to make sure that human composting was also mentioned as a method of disposition in this bill.
- 0:10:20
How many, how many of those have you done? Just curious.
- 0:10:24
None.
- 0:10:24
Funeral bills or...
- 0:10:26
Not funeral bills. That count's long gone. Uh, okay. Is, has anyone ever been composted or know anyone that's been composted?
- 0:10:36
I think that's why the author of the bill, Dr. Watson, somebody's about to be. As long as we're working together, then.
- 0:10:42
All right. Well, does anybody have any questions for the author of the bill or the author of this sub? All right. Does anyone from the public like to speak for or against this bill? Hearing none. All right. What's the... Well, I think I had a motion due pass from my vice chairman.
- 0:10:58
Sorry.
- 0:10:59
By substitute LC560532S, as in Sierra, and second from Senator Anderson. Any further discussion? All in favor, raise your hand. Motion carries unanimous. I didn't say which hand this time. Last time I said right.
- 0:11:24
Yes.
- 0:11:24
But some of y'all have trouble figuring that out, so. All right. Well, this concludes Senate Rules February 3rd, 2026 in the year of our Lord. Meeting adjourned.
- 0:11:38
And we're
- 0:12:04
done.