Georgia CommonsGeorgia General Assembly
Meetings on March 5, 2026
Machine-readable: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-05.md
Senate Finance Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee held hearings on three bills and took no votes. SB 588 drew discussion about paying spouses to provide care at home and increasing a caregiver tax credit. The chair said a fiscal estimate was not yet available. Supporters of SB 539 discussed exempting baby supplies and feminine hygiene products from sales tax to reduce household costs. The longest hearing concerned SB 512, which would prohibit card-processing fees on sales and excise taxes. Retail representatives supported the change, while banking, credit union and payment-industry witnesses opposed it, citing service costs, fraud protection and technical concerns. The chair said the committee would continue examining the issue.
House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, March 5, 2026 (AM)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved HB 285, HB 984 and HB 1142, and rejected HB 682, which concerned death sentences based only on one eyewitness. After extensive testimony, members approved an amended HB 968 to restrict kratom sales to pharmacies and ban synthetic products. Members set aside HB 804 after questions about its proposed marijuana pardons. The committee also heard HB 496, concerning cannabis odor as grounds for searches, but took no vote before recessing until 12:30 p.m.
House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, March 5, 2026 (part 2)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved HB 1255 by substitute, with an amendment assigning responsibility for sending charging documents to the state rather than court clerks. Discussion focused on evidence-sharing deadlines, delays in criminal cases, and whether prosecutors have enough staff and technology to meet the requirements. The committee also heard HB 1322, which the presenter said would make rioting a felony. Three organizations opposed that bill, raising concerns about unclear language, penalties, protest rights, and bail restrictions. The chair postponed further consideration until the next morning without a vote.
House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee considered revised versions of two bills returned from the Rules Committee. The sponsor of HB 947 described changes to SNAP eligibility checks, notices and review procedures intended to reduce payment errors. Members questioned documentation requirements, vehicle limits and restrictions on prepared drinks. The committee approved the revised bill and sent it back to Rules. For HB 1224, the committee considered a substitute raising the price-increase threshold for requiring consent to certain automatic renewals from 25% to 50%. Business witnesses supported or accepted the change, while several members said it weakened consumer protection. The committee approved that substitute and returned it to Rules as well. Neither vote had a complete numerical tally announced.
Senate Rules Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee heard brief presentations on bills covering education, elections, criminal justice, veterans, utilities, taxes and other subjects, then unanimously approved a package for the next day's Senate floor calendar. The package included bills discussed during this meeting and 11 bills carried over from the previous day. Members questioned proposals involving monument relocation, veterans' park fees, school employee retirement, online identity fraud and school enrollment choices. The chair declined requests to add SB 34 and SB 94, explaining that language from the first was already included in SB 410 and that the second had not been selected. The chair also said SR 668 remained on the Senate floor's table and could be brought back up there.
House Governmental Affairs Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved six bills: HB 467 on monument protection and relocation, HB 1482 on county use of Atlanta’s jail, HB 868 on health coverage for retiring county officers, HB 613 on apprenticeship information, HB 1227 on voter-registration notifications, and HB 1442 on limits to local development moratoriums. Members debated monument lawsuits, local control over jail facilities, retirement benefits and development decisions. The committee initially tabled HB 1482, then brought it back and approved it 9-4 without public testimony. It approved HB 467 6-5 after rejecting a naming amendment. Members amended HB 868 to include county commissioners and change coverage-administration provisions, and amended HB 1442 with changes suggested by the Georgia Municipal Association.
House Regulated Industries Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee reconsidered two bills returned to it. The sponsor of HB 1254 presented a corrected version combining changes previously approved by the committee, and the committee approved it by voice vote. The sponsor of HB 1385 presented revisions addressing earlier concerns about court access, license suspensions and fines. Members also asked about elevator inspections and challenges to the insurance commissioner’s decisions. The outcome for HB 1385 is unclear: the chair announced that the noes prevailed, but then said the bill could go to Rules.
House Rules Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved five substitutes and placed 15 bills on the next legislative day's floor calendar. Members objected to placing HB 1324, HB 1377, HB 880 and HB 1261 on the calendar, but each motion carried by voice vote. Presentations covered vehicle-tag fraud, postproduction tax credits, youth GPS monitoring, ketamine clinics, Medicaid appeals, permitting, taxpayer privacy, cash-payment rounding and firearm suppressors. Members also requested consideration of a road-naming resolution. The chair deferred action on bills not yet available in members' packets and announced another Rules meeting for the following morning.
House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee heard two bills and took no votes. For HB 1418, which would authorize voluntary local food-sharing programs using digital platforms, members questioned whether local governments already have that authority. The sponsor agreed to consider a resolution encouraging such programs instead, and the chair requested consultation with local-government organizations. For SB 444, which would prevent artificial intelligence from being the sole basis for denying healthcare coverage, members focused on definitions of artificial intelligence and human review. A Medical Association of Georgia witness supported the bill. The chair planned further work on the wording before a second hearing.
House Economic Development & Tourism Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved HB 490 using a corrected committee substitute. The chair said the wrong substitute had been selected at the previous hearing and that the correction concerned short-term rentals. The bill's sponsor urged passage to help protect young people from human trafficking. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote, with no opposition heard, and adjourned.
House Education Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee advanced four bills: HB 1056 on epinephrine use in schools, HB 669 on funding school roof improvements, HB 1257 on charter school rules and incentive grants, and HB 1232 on school attendance for Girl Scouts visiting the Capitol. Members discussed medication options, competitive purchasing, charter school oversight and funding limits. A proposed amendment to make up reduced charter incentive payments was withdrawn. The committee also revisited HB 1232 after an earlier version had added Boy Scouts. Members questioned removing that group, but the committee approved the Girl Scouts-only version after a hand vote. No numerical vote totals were announced.
House Ways & Means Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved HB 317 and its accompanying constitutional resolution, HR 192, on infrastructure financing districts. It also approved HB 1132, a construction-materials tax exemption intended for Habitat for Humanity, and HB 1370, income-tax exclusions for some tips and overtime pay. Members held a voice vote on HB 1285, concerning county sales-tax options, but the chair did not explicitly announce the result. After the full committee adjourned, the Compliance Subcommittee held a hearing on HB 1212. Supporters said its proposed tax would encourage people receiving PFAS cleanup damages to spend that money on cleanup. Opponents said it would penalize contaminated-property owners and fail to account for litigation costs and settlement practices. The subcommittee took no vote.
House Retirement Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee recommended passage of two bills after initially waiting for enough members to take action. HB 969 would let elected school board members choose part-time or full-time status to address changes to retired educators’ health coverage. HB 1347 would expand investment options for certain public retirement systems, including real estate, and raise limits on alternative investments. Members discussed investment risks and potential conflicts involving purchases of city property. Both bills advanced by voice vote, with no opposition heard.
House Judiciary Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved HB 289 after changing implementation dates to 2027, and separately approved HB 1016 and HR 1046. HB 1360, concerning local tax and fee refunds, did not advance because no member made a motion. During the remote-notarization hearing, witnesses also debated the stronger unauthorized-practice-of-law penalties in HB 1433, without taking action on that bill. The committee continued a lengthy hearing on HB 1343, concerning how unmarried fathers establish legal fatherhood. Speakers discussed education, standardized forms, DNA testing, parental rights and possible drafting changes. After a recess, the chair announced that too few members remained to take action, leaving that bill in committee.
House Public and Community Health Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved a substitute to HB 500 that would raise the asset limit for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families applicants and loosen vehicle restrictions, without increasing cash benefits. Members discussed SB 395, which would allow public health registry information to be shared with the Georgia Composite Medical Board for oversight of physicians certifying medical cannabis patients. A motion to table it went to a vote, but the committee lost its quorum before a clear result was announced. The committee later left it for further discussions. After regaining a quorum, members approved SB 440, a Department of Public Health bill to remove outdated requirements and align state law with current operations. Members also heard a presentation on self-service kiosks offering health tests and supplies outside normal clinic hours.
House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee held a hearing on HB 1381, which the sponsor said would require assessments of technologies that could improve existing power lines and offer utilities a share of the savings. Georgia Power opposed the bill, citing duplicate requirements, added costs and delays. Georgia Conservation Voters and the Southern Environmental Law Center supported it, citing affordability and greater public scrutiny of transmission planning. The sponsor pledged to remove a section containing additional requirements. The chair said the Public Service Commission could already require more information through its planning review. With the sponsor's agreement, the committee left the bill as a hearing only, without a vote, and encouraged further discussions.
House Regulated Industries Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee reconvened because, the chair said, earlier bill votes had occurred without the required nine-member quorum. Members approved lowering the quorum to six, then approved HB 1254 and HB 1385 again by voice vote. The chair described HB 1254 as correcting language placed in the wrong section and said issues previously raised about HB 1385 had been addressed. Both bills were sent back to the Rules Committee.
House Health Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved HB 1089, which the sponsor described as allowing ivermectin purchases without a prescription through a pharmacist, and approved HB 810 with an amendment changing its rural-area population threshold. Most of the meeting concerned HB 139, addressing restrictions on pharmacies participating in the federal 340B drug discount program. Supporters said it would protect medication access and funding for safety-net services. Opponents raised concerns about transparency, healthcare costs, hospital consolidation and legal challenges. Members questioned conflicting testimony about reporting requirements and effects on the State Health Benefit Plan. The committee voted to table HB 139 for further study. Complete vote counts were not stated.