Senate Rules Committee, February 20, 2026 Video: https://vimeo.com/1166461479 (a timestamp t plays at https://vimeo.com/1166461479#t=s) Page: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-20/senate-rules 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. [0:02:24] Of a quorum. [0:02:26] All right. [0:02:27] Let's call this meeting to order. [0:02:29] Mr. Chairman. [0:02:30] Mr. Chairman. [0:02:31] Sir. [0:02:33] I just wanna report that I had to tell the, your vice-chairman to sit in his normal seat. He, he was trying to sit in your seat, but I- [0:02:41] Well- [0:02:41] I had to him back [0:02:42] ... I have news, I have news for my power-hungry vice-chairman. The coup ends today. [0:02:52] You drew the line. [0:02:54] I know. He's trying to take over the whole capital. You gonna... Do we need to get you a detail? [0:03:04] He needs the ding-dinger. [0:03:06] Yeah, he was asking about the ding-ding. [0:03:06] Were there any ding-dings yesterday? [0:03:08] No. [0:03:09] No. [0:03:09] No? [0:03:09] No. [0:03:10] He actually said are the ding-dings up in [0:03:12] Well- [0:03:12] You? [0:03:14] Oh. Oh. Oh. [0:03:16] He said are they, are they- [0:03:17] He's gonna get in trouble. [0:03:18] Well- [0:03:19] Don't believe it [0:03:19] ... I got news for you, they're back. [0:03:22] Good. [0:03:24] Yes. [0:03:24] All right, let's get rolling. Senator Robertson, lead us in a word of prayer. [0:03:28] Yes. [0:03:28] Feel bow your head. We pray to the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, and the rules chair. Dear Heavenly Father, we hope you give us the wisdom we need today, Lord God, to make the right decisions, and give us the joy we need in our hearts, Lord God, as we move into the weekends with our families. We ask all these things in the precious name of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. [0:03:49] Amen. [0:03:50] Little bit of blasphemy there, but- [0:03:55] Share a soul, I'll let you take that up with the good Lord. [0:03:58] We... God and I have had conversations. [0:04:00] All right, let's get rolling. Let's get rolling. Uh, Senator Strickland. [0:04:04] Yeah. [0:04:05] You stood up first. [0:04:07] I'm disappointed there's no music. I thought- [0:04:09] Do you even get on here? [0:04:09] ... there'd be music in here. [0:04:10] Where's my... Yeah. [0:04:11] Should I sing something to- [0:04:12] Yeah [0:04:12] ... kick us off? [0:04:13] Please. [0:04:14] I won't. Um, second page, Senate Bill 482. [0:04:17] All right. [0:04:18] This bill makes it where if someone's gonna request a mugshot or- [0:04:21] Back of the page [0:04:22] ... back of the page. If you're gonna request a mugshot from our sheriffs, you're gonna make sure you at least identify the person you want the mugshot of. You're also gonna sign an affidavit confirming you're gonna comply with Georgia law, and not charge people to have their mugshots taken down. This will hopefully stop the process of having these online companies and publications that just get everybody's mugshots and post them for entertainment. [0:04:43] All right. Any questions? Moving on. Moving on. Senator Setzler, you're... Wait, who's up? [0:04:49] Slime, Slime. [0:04:52] I'll get to you next. [0:04:53] Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, Senate Bill 405, the bill raising the threshold for small claims court. I'd be glad to share stories where regular constituents could be greatly supported and aided by this bill. [0:05:04] Any other questions? [0:05:05] No questions. [0:05:06] No questions. All right. Senator Burns. [0:05:11] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, no songs on a Friday afternoon. Senate Bill 171. [0:05:15] It's okay. [0:05:15] It's the math pathways, uh, QB program for middle school and elementary school students to prepare them for future mathematics courses. [0:05:25] No questions? No questions. Senator Setzler, do you wanna go back for, uh, HB 377 first, uh, cover for Representative Everett? [0:05:34] Happy to, Mr. Chairman. [0:05:34] So probably- [0:05:35] This is a bill- [0:05:35] ... not till maybe- [0:05:36] ... uh, passed the Senate last year in flying colors. It simply, uh, designates, uh, qualification-based selection for hiring of architects and engineers. [0:05:44] All right. Senator Hickman, you're up next. No questions? No questions. Senator Hickman. [0:05:49] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is Senate Bill 487. This is an agency bill. As we well know, we got a huge deficiency of teachers in, in the state of Georgia, and this will continue the Senate Resolution 237 going forward for, for these different agencies to help us identify the need for teachers. Thank you, sir. [0:06:06] Okay. [0:06:07] Another one? Another one? [0:06:07] He, it didn't make the, it didn't make the cut. [0:06:10] No, it didn't make the cut. [0:06:11] Um, Senate Bill 487. [0:06:13] 487. [0:06:14] Yeah. Not quite ready. We're, uh, we're still in review on that one. [0:06:17] Yes. I, I understand. [0:06:18] But good bill. [0:06:18] But you gave me the opportunity and I took it. [0:06:20] Good bill. [0:06:21] Thank you. [0:06:21] Good, wishful thinking. Wish, wishful thinking. Senator Harbison. The gold man. [0:06:27] Yes, sir. [0:06:29] Did your gold get out of the committee yet? [0:06:31] Not yet. We're gonna try. We're gonna- [0:06:33] Keep working it, baby. Keep working. [0:06:34] Keep working. Yes, sir. SB, uh, 261 is magistrates. No money from the state. They just wanna expand their board and change the money, um, that, uh, or the percentages they can put away. That one you've heard before. SB 399 is one that's really a, a, um, a close one, is that, um, it is the coordination of 911 services with the AEDs on college campuses. This bill is named after, uh, Mason Sells, who's a young man who passed away because the AED was locked into the building and was not available. [0:07:06] Mm. [0:07:06] And what this will do, we've worked with, uh, GEMA and, uh, and Senator Albers has been fantastic. It, uh, will coordinate that so that our AEDs are available on college campuses to help our young people and to bring life when it needs to be there most. [0:07:22] I'm gonna help Senator Albers out. Will you say that part about him again? [0:07:27] He is a wonderful senator and great on the safety committee. [0:07:30] That's not what you said, but- All right. [0:07:33] Let him talk. [0:07:34] Moving on. No questions? No questions. All right. Uh, anybody else? Okay. All right, back to the top. Senate Bill 157, Senator Williams. [0:07:47] Yes, sir. That's the bill I've covered a couple of times. This allows someone who maybe served two terms in the legislature and didn't opt in to the legislative retirement, and they come back and get reelected, that they can buy back into it dollar for dollar. Doesn't cost the state anything. [0:08:04] Okay. Uh, any question? No questions. Senator Albers, Senate Bill 392. You're number three. [0:08:11] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is the Zero-Based Budget Act. [0:08:15] Zero-Based Budget Act. Okay. We used to do that, didn't we? [0:08:19] We sure did. Time to bring it back. [0:08:22] With the ding-ding. [0:08:23] Ooh. [0:08:24] It's not a ding-ding. [0:08:25] Oh, darn it. [0:08:26] Little hint. Not yet. Maybe one day Keep working it. Senate Bill 395, Senator Kirkpatrick. [0:08:34] Thank you. You've heard this before. This is to improve communication between the Department of Public Health and the Composite State Medical Board with regards to medical cannabis. [0:08:44] Mm-kay. [0:08:49] Senate Bill 430, Senator Robertson. [0:08:53] Very small bill. All it does is, uh, codify that military museums have an opportunity to apply for hotel-motel taxes, since they are, in many communities, uh, the biggest drivers of tourism. [0:09:06] All right. Any questions? All right. Senator Cowsert, Senate Bill 3 s- or 468. [0:09:14] It, uh, imposes additional reporting requirements of your residency and employment on people that are homeless to protect, uh, sexual offenders, so it protects our children. [0:09:25] Okay. Any questions? No questions. All right. Senator Dolezal, Senate Bill 471. This gets rid of the upcoming sunset on the Unmasked Georgia Students Act. Okay. Any questions? Senator Kirkpatrick, you look like you have a question. [0:09:44] Um, no, just, um, 428. I'll talk about it whenever you get ready. [0:09:49] Oh, I thought you already did. [0:09:50] No. [0:09:52] Oh, you talked about 395. Okay, go ahead. Senate Bill 428. [0:09:56] Okay. This is an agency bill for DCH that enables a, um, new kind of waiver for, uh, people that are homeless and seriously mentally ill. [0:10:07] Okay. Any questions? My apologies. I didn't mean to skip you. [0:10:11] No worries. [0:10:12] All right. Senate Bill 485 is Senator Payne's... [0:10:21] I'm gonna see. That came out of insurance. [0:10:25] Allows them to take the exam their last semester of their master's program. [0:10:30] Can you use the microphone? [0:10:34] I know you're used to a microphone being handed to you, but- ... in here, we work for it. [0:10:39] It'll... Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [0:10:40] When he's not taking- [0:10:41] We, we- [0:10:41] When my vice chairman's not stealing it from me [0:10:43] ... we, we need to move it up for you. [0:10:44] There we go. [0:10:45] That's better. [0:10:45] All right. [0:10:45] That's a lot better. [0:10:46] Can you repeat that please, sir? [0:10:48] This would allow people seeking a license in social work, they have to get a master's pro- degree to g- get the license, and they would be able to take the licensing exam during their last semester of the program. Rather than having to wait till the end of their program, it would allow them to get their license more expeditiously once they complete it, all the requirements. [0:11:15] Get them in the workforce quicker. [0:11:16] Yes, sir. [0:11:18] All right. Any questions? [0:11:19] I'll move it back for you. [0:11:21] All right. Senate Resolution 684, that's Senator Halpern's, uh, that was sent here. Oh, there you are. I'm sorry. Come on. I was gonna cover it for you. [0:11:30] Oh, yeah. You probably, you probably could. Thank you. [0:11:33] Mm-hmm. [0:11:33] This is- [0:11:34] Oh, yes. Right [0:11:34] ... really a scrivener's error, and so it got caught up in rules for the American Heart Association. The res- it's a resolution. It's, it's just one of those scrivener errors that originally said, "In the State of Georgia," which we are not allowed to say, and then it got changed to, "In the state capital," for the American Heart Association Day that has passed already. But I would love the opportunity to give them their resolution. [0:12:01] A- as y'all know, if it was more than a scrivener's error and sent to rules, it probably wouldn't make the yellow sheet, so, um... And while we're at it, Senate Resolution 744, that's mine. That's honoring, um, some local leaders, women that ride, uh, motorcycles. And same thing, we had it, uh, you know, we changed it from the Georgia Day to Day of the Capital, and then they also misspelled my hometown, so, so... [0:12:34] Ideally, what I'd like to do is, uh, at the appropriate time, we would entertain a motion to take both SR 684 and SR 744 and move them to the consideration calendar, but we'll wait on that. All right. HB 244, Representative Cannon. We've covered that. Any questions on that? I think we're good there. And then HB 571, uh, Senator Albers, you're c- carrying that. [0:13:05] Would you like to cover that for us? [0:13:07] Sure. [0:13:08] Number 3. Thank you, uh, Mr. Chairman. Uh, we've had, uh, uh, Representative Hawkins come in and talk to us about how important it is to license radiological assistants so we can get them in career paths and get them into, uh, hospitals. In fact, it's so good that even our pro tem, who's against- [0:13:23] He did [0:13:23] ... any and all licensures, new ones, is supporting this bill. [0:13:28] All right. Any questions? I wasn't listening, but I'm sure it was funny. You were laughing. I think you were the only one laughing, but- ... it's okay. [0:13:38] You were too, I think. [0:13:39] Trip yourself out. I think he was laughing at you, not with you. I'll take it. I love it. I love it. Okay. Let's, uh... My Vice Chairman, did you have something you wanted to do? [0:13:54] I have a motion. [0:13:55] Oh, well, you're recognized. [0:13:57] Thank you. Motion to create a consent calendar of resolutions expressing the will of the Senate. [0:14:03] What resolutions would you like? [0:14:05] SR 684 and SR 744. [0:14:08] Okay. [0:14:09] Second. [0:14:10] We have a- [0:14:10] Second [0:14:12] ... motion and a second. [0:14:16] Who was the second? [0:14:17] Uh, Senator Walker. [0:14:18] Thank you. [0:14:18] Or President Pro Tem, if you didn't know that. [0:14:26] I'm just kidding. Well, I mean, today could be a little confusing. I mean, some people could think Senator Watson was. I mean, I'm confused Mr. Vice, you're such a- This usurper of power over here. The usurper. That's what I'm gonna start calling you. All right, we got a motion to second any further discussion. All in favor say, "Aye." Aye. All opposed say, "Nay." Motion carries unanimous. All right, let's pick a few. [0:14:57] Let's see. Oh, on the list, Senator Anavitarte. [0:15:03] Hey, Mr. Chairman. Number one. [0:15:06] Speaking of, hold on, bud. [0:15:08] Mr. Chairman. [0:15:08] Let me tell you what the usurper did yesterday while I was out. [0:15:11] Oh. [0:15:13] He skips two people to get to- [0:15:15] Oh [0:15:15] ... himself to pick his own bill. Whoa. Whoa. This guy. Wow. This guy. Oh. Man, power hungry. Yeah, that's right. I like your style. [0:15:27] This- [0:15:28] You got my bill in. That's all I cared about, so, uh- [0:15:31] Mr. Chairman, it's, it's like the, uh, the pro temp appointing himself to the conference committee. [0:15:36] Hey, that's true. That's true. Maybe you two should be on a conference committee together. Right. They might duel it out. I don't know. All right, Mr. Leader, what's your pick? [0:15:48] Um, s- [0:15:48] I do have a ding-ding, FYI. [0:15:50] Well, I know what I'm about to pick is not a ding-ding, 171. [0:15:53] No, it's not. [0:15:55] And ma- and Mr.- [0:15:56] But a good pick [0:15:56] ... and Mr. Chairman- [0:15:57] It's a good pick [0:15:57] ... um, do you think until the House adheres to our position that we should not move their House bills? [0:16:04] No, it made the sheet. [0:16:05] You're, you're too nice- [0:16:06] It's available [0:16:06] ... Mr. Chairman. [0:16:07] It's available. [0:16:08] That's... You're too nice. [0:16:09] I'm not saying you should pick it, but, um- [0:16:11] Okay [0:16:11] ... it's available. [0:16:12] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [0:16:13] And I'm not saying you can't pick it. Uh, is- Leader Jones is not here. Okay. Well, let's go to the dean. [0:16:22] Yes, sir. SB 430. [0:16:26] 430. Ooh, wow. For his delegation member. [0:16:30] I wonder why- [0:16:31] See- [0:16:31] I wonder why he picked that one [0:16:32] ... ladies and gentlemen, that's how you do it. [0:16:34] That's bipartisan. [0:16:35] That's right. That's how you build goodwill around here. All right, to the dean of the Republican Party, Senator Cowsert. [0:16:44] I will, uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I love this sound, fiscal policy of Senator Albers. I won't go on and on about him any further. SB 392. Hard to resist, but, you know- [0:16:56] I understand [0:16:57] ... y'all already know all that stuff. [0:17:00] SB 392. One, two, three. Different system. All right, who's gonna get my ding-ding? Senator Robertson. [0:17:11] For the children, uh, SB 395. [0:17:15] Oh. Three nine five. For the children. [0:17:25] No. [0:17:25] Uh, there it is. Additional help. All right, Senator Jackson, I'm gonna give y- I'm gonna give you the ding-ding. Oh, you're gonna give it to me? Yep, 428. [0:17:42] Okay. And then you'll get first pick on Tuesday. All right. Mr. Chairman? Yes, Mr. Leader. [0:17:53] Is the, is the senator from the 41st gonna amend that bill, too? [0:17:57] Hey. [0:17:58] And they vote yes? [0:17:59] You know what? The beauty of the Georgia State Senate is we are all equal when we are on that floor. [0:18:05] That's right. [0:18:05] And we all have the right to do just about whatever we want within the rules. [0:18:12] And that is the beauty of our Georgia State Senate. I do like the rules. Yep. We all have a voice. Some use it. And some use it way more than others. Well, we're learning from the best, y'all. All right, here we go. I've got Senate Bill 171, Senate Bill 392, Senate Bill 395, Senate Bill 428, and Senate Bill 430. I move. I got a motion from Senator Ginn. Second. I got a second from Senator Robertson. [0:18:42] Any further discussion? All in favor say, "Aye." Aye. All opposed say, "Nay." Motion carries unanimous. Safe travels home, everyone. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. We'll see you Monday at your committees, and we will be back in here Tuesday after we come off the floor. Meeting adjourned.