Georgia CommonsSenate Rules Committee, February 26, 2026
2025-2026 Regular Session · 450 CAP · 24 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 briefly reviewed bills and selected 11 measures for the Senate floor calendar. The committee unanimously approved a calendar containing SB 240, SB 437, SB 443, SB 447, SB 463, SB 468, SB 471, SB 497, SB 527, SR 800 and HB 377. Other measures received brief descriptions or acknowledgments but were not included in the approved calendar. Most reviews were limited to a few words, with little substantive discussion and no amendments offered.
Bills discussed (25)
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 425. Education; all schools that receive state funding with students in any of grades three through five to provide instruction in cursive handwriting to all students by no later than third grade; require
From 0:08:03 · turn 19
The sponsor said SB 425 would require cursive handwriting instruction, which some schools already provide and others do not. The sponsor said the instruction would help students sign their names and read the founding documents. No questions or action followed.
SB 443. Offenses Against Public Order; the punishment for the offense of obstructing highways, streets, sidewalks, or other public passages; increase
From 0:10:58 · turns 54 to 117
The sponsor briefly endorsed SB 443 without explaining its provisions. A committee member later selected it for the floor calendar. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the bill.
SB 485. Professional Counselors; applicants for a license in social work enrolled in a master's degree program to take the master's social work licensing examination in their final semester of the program; authorize
From 0:11:42 · turns 70 to 71
The sponsor said SB 485 would allow students to take the master's social work examination during their final semester, before graduation. No questions or action followed.
SB 198. Georgia Legislative Retirement System; board of trustees of the system to increase benefit multipliers for members; provide
From 0:12:14 · turn 77
The chair identified SB 198 as a retirement bill and invited questions. No substantive explanation, questions or action followed.
SB 230. Condominiums; maximum amount of insurance deductibles payable by unit owners; remove the limitation
From 0:12:30 · turn 79
The chair briefly called up SB 230 and said it had already been covered. No further explanation or action followed.
SB 240. Georgia Native Plant Month; designate April of each year
From 0:12:38 · turns 79 to 117
The chair described SB 240 as changing the state flower from the Cherokee rose to the sweet bay magnolia. A committee member later selected it for the calendar in recognition of garden club participants. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the bill.
SB 405. Magistrate Court; the maximum amount of civil claims that can be tried in magistrate court; increase
From 0:12:49 · turns 79 to 83
The sponsor said SB 405 would raise the claim limit in magistrate court so people could represent themselves in cases involving larger amounts. The sponsor offered to answer questions, but none were asked. No action followed.
SB 437. State Building, Plumbing, and Electrical Codes; acknowledgement of an applicant's use of a private professional provider to conduct a plan review or inspection; provide
From 0:13:17 · turns 84 to 117
The chair called up SB 437 and directed members to read it, without a substantive presentation. A member later selected it for the floor calendar. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the bill.
SB 447. Control of Soil Erosion and Sedimentation; denial or nonacceptance of permits; revise provisions
From 0:13:23 · turns 84 to 117
The chair said SB 447 had moved out of its standing committee the previous day and offered no further explanation. A member later selected it for the floor calendar. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the bill.
SB 463. Specialized Land Transactions; business enterprises or business enterprises controlled by natural born persons from owning an interest in more than 500 single-family residential properties; prohibit
From 0:13:44 · turns 84 to 117
A speaker described SB 463 as stopping hedge funds from buying houses in Georgia. No details or questions followed. A member later selected it for the floor calendar, which the committee unanimously approved.
SB 468. Sexual Offender Risk Review Board; reporting requirements of sexual offenders; increase
From 0:13:58 · turns 85 to 117
A speaker described SB 468 as protecting children from homeless sexual offenders, without explaining its requirements. A committee member later selected it for the floor calendar. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the bill.
SB 471. Education; requires a student to wear a face mask or face covering while present on school property; eliminate automatic repeal provision
From 0:14:10 · turns 85 to 117
Speakers characterized SB 471 as ending mask requirements but did not explain its provisions. A member later selected it for the floor calendar using the same description. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the bill.
SB 478. Outdoor Stewardship; provide for a sunset
From 0:14:16 · turns 85 to 86
A speaker identified outdoor stewardship as the subject of SB 478. No provisions were explained, and no action followed.
SB 482. Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies; persons requesting booking photographs to provide the first and last names of the individuals in the photographs; require
From 0:14:27 · turns 86 to 87
Speakers characterized SB 482 as addressing mugshot profiteering. No requirements were explained, and no action followed.
SB 486. Laws and Statutes; provisions relating to the effect and enforcement of foreign laws; revise
From 0:14:37 · turn 87
A speaker characterized SB 486 as concerning the use of American laws only. No further explanation, questions or action followed.
SB 489. Board of Commissioners of the Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia; allow to set monthly dues
From 0:14:44 · turn 87
The chair briefly called up SB 489, but no substantive explanation, questions or action followed.
SB 497. School Students; written notification to a parent when a student receives certain noninstructional services from certain school employees; require
From 0:14:54 · turns 87 to 117
Speakers described SB 497 as ensuring parents are informed, without explaining what information would be required. A member later selected it for the floor calendar. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the bill.
SB 501. Office of the Safety Fire Commissioner; update provisions
From 0:15:07 · turn 88
A speaker identified fire as the subject of SB 501, without explaining its provisions. No questions or action followed.
SB 523. Education; public schools and postsecondary educational institutions to consider antisemitism in the same manner as discrimination based on religion; authorize
From 0:15:16 · turn 88
A speaker characterized SB 523 as opposing discrimination. No specific provisions were explained, and no action followed.
SB 527. Sheriffs; candidates for the office of sheriff are certified peace officers at the time of qualifying as a candidate; require
From 0:15:22 · turns 88 to 117
A speaker described SB 527 as requiring qualified sheriffs, without explaining the qualifications. A member later selected it for the floor calendar. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the bill.
SB 540. Online Internet Safety; certain disclosures related to conversational AI services; require
From 0:15:33 · turns 89 to 90
During the brief review of SB 540, one speaker characterized it as expanding government, while another described its purpose as protecting children. No provisions were explained, and no action followed.
SR 624. Officer Drew Haynes Brown Memorial Intersection; Cobb County; dedicate
From 0:15:56 · turns 91 to 92
Speakers described SR 624 as a road-naming measure honoring an individual. No further explanation, questions or action followed.
SR 800. Joint Study Committee on the Generational Sustainability of Family Farms; create
From 0:16:09 · turns 92 to 117
The committee briefly called up SR 800 without explaining its provisions. A member later selected it for the floor calendar. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the resolution.
HB 244. State auditor; local governments to request and receive in certain circumstances due date extensions related to filing annual audits; provide
From 0:16:16 · turns 93 to 94
During the brief review of HB 244, a speaker initially said it was already on the floor, then corrected that statement as referring to another measure. No clear explanation of the bill or action followed.
HB 377. Buildings and housing; manufactured homes; provisions
From 0:20:38 · turns 115 to 117
A member selected HB 377 for the floor calendar. The chair said it had been on the floor earlier that day but had been removed, and the member who previously selected it would receive the next pick at a future meeting. No substantive provisions were discussed. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing the bill.
Transcript
118 turns. Select a time to play that moment of the video.
- 0:06:37
Rules Committee, February 26th, 2026, in the year of our Lord. Dr. Kay, would you lead us in a word of prayer, please?
- 0:06:47
Sure. Dear Heavenly Father, you know that the days are getting long and we're all tired, and we ask for your safety and your, uh, help in helping us to remain calm and pursue what your will is with, um, wisdom, justice, moderation, and courage. In Jesus' name, amen.
- 0:07:16
Amen.
- 0:07:17
Amen.
- 0:07:18
That's good.
- 0:07:19
All right, let's see some bills.
- 0:07:29
Any members not on the committee on there? I don't see any. Ah.
- 0:07:32
Yes, sir.
- 0:07:33
Senator Harbin, come on up.
- 0:07:36
I got two bills today.
- 0:07:37
You had two today.
- 0:07:38
Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it.
- 0:07:40
You coming back begging for more.
- 0:07:42
Begging for more, sir. Yes, sir.
- 0:07:43
All right.
- 0:07:45
Thank you.
- 0:07:45
What you got?
- 0:07:46
Uh-
- 0:07:47
261.
- 0:07:48
261. Yes, sir. Magistrate judges are still out there wanting to retire, but they want to put their own boards... They want to ch- choose their boards, and it doesn't require any state money. It's just them wanting to put more money away, and then we need to amend that to allow them to do that. Uh, SB425 is a really good bill and it is required cursive writing, not to be con- uh, confused with cursing, but just cursive writing that would be taught where someone could put down their signature, somebody can read the Founding Fathers' documents. Uh, and that'd be mandatory. It's done, uh, in some schools and not in others.
- 0:08:20
Uh, third page, top, second down, is the, um, is an Airbnb, uh, um, bill that deals with this. Right now, when you rent out your house, this is just property damage only. You have an issue, uh, they have a guarantee that's written. What this does, it makes them have insurance as a backstop to their guarantee. That's all it is.
- 0:08:42
All right.
- 0:08:42
Good consumer protection.
- 0:08:44
We've got a question from the senator from the 29th.
- 0:08:47
Thank you. Um, Senator Harbin, on the, uh, 261, how early... What, what's their current retirement age?
- 0:08:56
Uh, current retirement age, and I don't have it in my b- uh, it's 60, and it goes to 55, but if they go to 55, it's a 3% reduction for every year that they're not at 60.
- 0:09:07
Do, do all of our judges retire at 55?
- 0:09:10
I'm not sure on that one, sir.
- 0:09:11
Thank you.
- 0:09:13
I'd like to retire at 55.
- 0:09:15
Mm.
- 0:09:17
I'd like to retire at 63. That's helpful.
- 0:09:21
Question, Senator Dolezal?
- 0:09:23
Thank you. Um, Chair Harbin, uh, the, this, you said it'd be 85% if they retire at 55. Is there a COLA then that's involved?
- 0:09:30
I don't believe there's a COLA, uh, to that plan.
- 0:09:34
Judicial Retirement System.
- 0:09:35
Is that, is that in the Judicial Retirement System or is it-
- 0:09:37
This is in the magistrate. It's, it's, it's separate, as I understand it. It's a totally separate plan. I've got there.
- 0:09:44
Can you, can you come back to us when you do come back to us, Senator-
- 0:09:47
Okay
- 0:09:47
... uh, on that, uh, COLA answer?
- 0:09:50
I'll give you the COLA answer.
- 0:09:51
If you don't mind. Thank you.
- 0:09:58
Anything y'all want to share with the rest of us?
- 0:10:01
We do. I'm trying to make sure we have a quorum for a 5:00 committee today, so I hate to slow this one down. Let, let's get the train rolling again.
- 0:10:08
You want to get it moving quick?
- 0:10:10
Let's move them. Choo choo.
- 0:10:12
All right. All right, we can go speed mode. All right, you're done.
- 0:10:16
Thank you.
- 0:10:16
Senator Summers. We're in speed mode now. Oh, oh, oh, by the way, my secretary has been promoted to vice-chairman today.
- 0:10:27
Ooh.
- 0:10:27
So- I would love for you to come over here and sit.
- 0:10:31
Slow this thing down a little bit then. Let me enjoy. I thought you meant-
- 0:10:37
Well, you know, after, after the vice-chairman tried to usurp me last week, or two weeks ago... Yeah, last week, he tried to take all my power, and then he took over the president of the Senate's power. We, uh, we sent him on home early this week. So all right, Senator Summers.
- 0:10:58
Madam Vice Chairman, 443 is a great little bill. Thank you so much.
- 0:11:01
Did you say Madam Vice Chairman?
- 0:11:02
I repeat just what you said. She's vice-chairman, isn't it?
- 0:11:06
No, I didn't.
- 0:11:07
Yeah, we were taking it literally.
- 0:11:08
How did I confuse the two?
- 0:11:10
I don't know.
- 0:11:11
She's not a secretary. She's a legislative assistant. Formerly known as a-
- 0:11:17
I made a promotion
- 0:11:18
... a administrative assistant.
- 0:11:20
No, I got a promoter.
- 0:11:21
My secretary is Senator Cowsert, the dean-
- 0:11:25
She is not
- 0:11:26
... of the Republican Party. All right, moving on. I don't even know what bill he just did.
- 0:11:34
443.
- 0:11:34
443. All right, Senator Payne. Senator Payne, would you get us back on the rails here?
- 0:11:41
Yes, Mr. Chairman, Senate Bill 485. This is a bill that allows students take their, in their final semester take their, a Master of Social Work, uh, examination while, before they graduate.
- 0:11:52
All right.
- 0:11:53
Ooh, ooh.
- 0:11:56
Can you say that into the microphone? Goodness gracious.
- 0:12:01
I, I just make a motion that we done heard the bills five times. Let's just skip them.
- 0:12:06
All right, let's move on. Um, Senator Williams, that's his retirement bill for former members.
- 0:12:14
Okay.
- 0:12:14
Senate Bill 198, another retirement bill. Senator Albers, any questions? Senator Robertson, another retirement bill. Good Lord. A lot of retirements. Any questions? You've covered that one.
- 0:12:30
I have.
- 0:12:30
SB230, Senator Still, you've covered that one. Senator Williams, who's not here, SB 240, that's, uh, changing the- State flower ... state flower from the Cherokee rose to the sweet bay magnolia. Uh, SB 405, Senator Setzler, is his magistrate judge court- Singular Singular. No, singular. Singular. Court, not courts, 'cause only one one wants it.
- 0:13:03
Go ahead.
- 0:13:05
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Senate Bill 405 is the bill that raises the threshold on magistrate court to allow folks to represent themselves at a higher threshold.
- 0:13:13
All right.
- 0:13:13
I'll take questions if you like.
- 0:13:14
No questions. Senator Dixon, SB 437. Y'all can read it. All right, moving on, Senate Bill 447. We just moved that one out of committee standing yesterday, didn't we? So y'all know that one. 454, we know that one. 458 is Goodman's, uh, home inspector licensing bill. Senate Bill 463, Senator Dolezal.
- 0:13:49
Us. Three words. Stop hedge funds from buying houses in Georgia. I said three. Sorry. Uh, Senate Bill 468. Protects our children from homeless sexual offenders. I said three. You get three words. Be, be thinking. SB 471. No more masks. No more masks. Very, very good. Very good. Senate Bill 478. Out door stewardship.
- 0:14:21
That's three words. Two words. No, no. We separated out and door. Senate Bill 482, Senator Strickland. Mugshot man.
- 0:14:34
Mugshot profiteering. All right, uh, Senate Bill 486. Only American laws. Ooh. Ooh. He's getting good at this. Senate Bill 489, there's no way he could do anything in- Another. Yeah, that's three words. All right, Senate Bill 497.
- 0:14:59
Anyone wanna take a shot? Parents deserve to know. Must know. Parents must know. We'll take it. Senate Bill 501, Senator Robertson. Fire, fire, fire. Hmm, you can do better than that. I'm lazy. Senate Bill 523. No discrimination ever. Okay, I'll take that. Senate Bill 527, Senator Robertson. Qualified sheriffs only. Very good. Good.
- 0:15:29
Man, you guys are getting good. I'm on a roll today. Senate Bill 540, littering of attorney. More big government.
- 0:15:47
Three words. Three words. Protect the kids. Oh. All right. For the children. For the children.
- 0:15:55
Uh, SR624, Honor Drew Brown.
- 0:16:02
Road. Yeah. Actually, that is the... That's the full name, road naming bill, right? All right, SR800. Power. That's good. Most important bill.
- 0:16:16
And HB 244. Already on floor. Yes. Oh, no, that was a different one. Save the old house bill. Mm.
- 0:16:36
That's good. We'll go with that. Second.
- 0:16:41
All right, enough fun. Y'all get serious. Let's pick a few. Let me get to my chart, see where we left off.
- 0:16:53
All right, you did. We left off with Senator Dolezal with the ding-ding, so we'll pick up with you. Go ahead. SB 443. 443.
- 0:17:05
Not a ding-ding. Okay.
- 0:17:10
Senator Rhett.
- 0:17:14
Uh,
- 0:17:19
527. 5 what, Senator? 527. 527. Is that a dinger? Negative.
- 0:17:32
Um,
- 0:17:39
Senator Kirkpatrick.
- 0:17:42
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In honor of my garden club people, I'll pick Senate Bill 240.
- 0:17:47
240.
- 0:17:54
All right. Senator Anderson of the leaf.
- 0:18:01
Hmm. Let's go make him happy. Um, SR 800.
- 0:18:10
SR 800.
- 0:18:20
You lose picks for that.
- 0:18:22
What's that?
- 0:18:23
Skipping you. Um- Senator Harbison. Want to use one of your timeouts? Yeah, he lost picks last year. I wouldn't do it to him again. Uh, Hufstetler's not with us. Dixon's not with us. Williams not with us. Senator Albers. Although your phone just went off. That, that was his. No, it wasn't either. I turned it off for you. That was kids in school. Mr. Chairman, I, I wanna help out my good friend, Senator Bill Cowsert, and fix Senate Bill 468.
- 0:18:55
What a friend. Now that I'm secretary, I'm getting all the friends. You're vice-chairman. Oh, wonderful. You're vice-chairman. Damn. You kidding? Weren't you already? No, you were already secretary. I thought I'd meet a friend in the AG's office. How many is that? Yeah. And then one. All right. Let's see. What do we do 468? All right. Senator Still.
- 0:19:25
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, I'm gonna go with the, uh, the first of our bills that was described in the accurate requisite number of three words. No more masks, SB471.
- 0:19:37
Ooh. Yes, sir. All right, 471. All right. Senator Gooch, how many did you get? How many ding-dings did you get in a row yesterday? I have the records. Three? Three. Was it three? Four or five maybe. I think it was three. See. It was three. All right, I'm gonna see if I can break that record today. Let's see. Let's go with Senate Bill 437. Hey, how about that?
- 0:20:07
Let's see. Next, I'm gonna go with Senate Bill 447. Hey, how about that? Ooh. Uh, Senate Bill 463. And 497 for the record breaker. We did four. I'll save my next pick. Um, what is that one? I think it's somebody, but- Yeah, I know. But I just said that he was
- 0:20:35
on. All right, I'm not gonna save my pick. HB377. And the record's now five. There you go. You got that one. It's, it was on the floor today. It's back on. Oh, 377. And I made this yellow sheet so I can add to it.
- 0:20:56
HB377 was on the floor today. Who picked that yesterday? Senator Ginn. Yeah. So you know what? Because that got knocked off, I'm gonna, we'll start back with you. You'll have next pick. Thank you. That's a hint to all y'all that want your bill picked. All right. Here we go. Senate Bill 240, Senate Bill 437, Senate Bill 443, Senate Bill 447, Senate Bill 463, Senate Bill 468, Senate Bill 471, Senate Bill 497, Senate Bill 527, Senate Resolution 800, and HB377.
- 0:21:37
What's the will of the committee? Bill did pass. I got a motion from a president who's been standing all day, and thankfully gets to sit down. I got a second from Senator Anderson, who didn't yawn when he said it. Is there any further discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Motion carries unanimous. Get to your committees. Meeting adjourned.