--- title: Georgia House and Senate meetings on March 11, 2026 collection: meetings id: meetings:day:2026-03-11 canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11.md date: 2026-10-23 status: active corpus_version: meetings-2026-10-23-8c15ead0f18d license: Machine transcript and summaries by Georgia Commons from the General Assembly's public video; the video stays on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-10.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-12.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/index.md date: 2026-03-11 count: 15 --- # Georgia House and Senate meetings on March 11, 2026 ## House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee, March 11, 2026 43 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172294537. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-agriculture-and-consumer-affairs.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved SB 551, which the sponsor said would remove Georgia’s egg-candling license requirement, and SB 435, which would rename the Georgia Development Authority to include agriculture in its name. Both passed by voice vote with no opposition heard and were sent to House Rules. The chair said the planned hearing on SB 33 would wait until the next meeting because changes were still being worked on. The committee also approved an appointment to the Georgia Seed Development Commission. ## House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, March 11, 2026 1 h 30 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1171886515. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-judiciary-non-civil.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee heard presentations and public testimony on SB 443, concerning penalties for blocking roads; SB 27, concerning doxxing; and SB 468, concerning reporting and risk classifications for registered sex offenders. Testimony raised questions about protest rights, protected speech, individualized risk assessments and monitoring people without stable housing. The sponsor of SB 468 expressed support for possible changes to its homelessness definition and classification language, but no amendments were adopted in the transcript. The committee lacked a quorum to vote, and no votes on the three bills were recorded before adjournment. ## House Defense & Veterans Affairs Committee, March 11, 2026 40 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1170787393. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-defense-and-veterans-affairs.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee unanimously approved SB 555, which the sponsor said would allow eligible family members to live with veterans in Georgia’s veterans homes as private-pay residents, while preserving veterans’ admission priority. Members discussed whether family admissions could reduce veterans’ access, staffing shortages, room capacity and oversight. Several members supported keeping families together while calling for more housing and care options for veterans. No amendment was adopted. ## House Motor Vehicles Committee, March 11, 2026 28 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172542810. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-motor-vehicles.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved a substitute for SB 293 by voice vote, with no vote count stated. The sponsor said the substitute replaced the original veterans’ license plate language, which had passed through another bill, with selected motor vehicle enforcement provisions from HB 1267. Members asked about penalties, dealer investigations and board oversight. One member expressed concern about having insufficient time to review the substitute. ## House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee, March 11, 2026 1 h 18 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172141919. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-technology-and-infrastructure-innovation.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee discussed three bills: SB 470, concerning signal jammers; SB 594, concerning digital identity fraud and removal of fraudulent online content; and SB 444, concerning artificial intelligence in health insurance coverage decisions. Members raised questions about personal privacy protections, federal law, online impersonation, and requirements for human review of insurance denials. No votes were taken. The chair held SB 470 and SB 444 for further work before a planned Tuesday meeting and asked members to work with the sponsor of SB 594 on possible changes. ## House Interstate Cooperation Committee, March 11, 2026 1 h 14 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1170776554. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-interstate-cooperation.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee held an informational hearing on collecting child support across state and international borders. Georgia Division of Child Support Services officials described enforcement, payment processing, employment assistance and coordination with other states. Officials reported collecting more than $659 million for families in federal fiscal year 2025 and said roughly 21 percent of Georgia’s caseload involved another state. Invited experts explained how uniform state laws address conflicting support orders, enforcement and changes to payment obligations. Committee members asked about funding for local offices, overdue support, wage withholding and options for a parent who had lost employment. Agency officials offered to follow up on that constituent’s case and provide additional information about processing deadlines. No bills were taken up and no votes were held. ## House Creative Arts & Entertainment Committee, March 11, 2026 1 h 25 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1171904991. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-creative-arts-and-entertainment.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee held an informational meeting celebrating Georgia’s Camera Ready program, which connects film productions with local contacts, locations and services. A state film office representative described a production slowdown and said activity was improving in 2026. Representatives from Rabun, Cherokee, Chatham and DeKalb counties described local spending, tourism, job training and coordination with productions. Industry and business witnesses urged lawmakers to preserve the film tax credit, citing its importance to workers, independent filmmakers and studio investments. Members asked about local economic benefits, program funding and the possible effects of eliminating the state income tax or tax credits. The chair emphasized that the meeting was intended to recognize film-ready communities, not change the tax credit. No bills were taken up or voted on. ## House Rules Committee, March 11, 2026 28 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172147240. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-rules.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee heard presentations on SB 428, concerning medical services for people who frequently use jails and emergency departments; SB 399, concerning coordination of automated external defibrillators (AEDs); and SB 427, concerning licensing internationally trained physicians. No votes on those three bills were shown. The committee approved a substitute for HR 1049. It then placed HR 145, HR 1049, SB 177 and SB 220 on the next day's House calendar. A member objected to placing SB 177 on the calendar, but the motion carried by voice vote. The other calendar placements drew no stated opposition. ## Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, March 11, 2026 29 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172287554. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/senate-agriculture-and-consumer-affairs.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee considered two veterinary bills. It unanimously approved HB 1408, which the sponsor said would allow licensed veterinary technicians to give rabies vaccinations under a veterinarian’s direction. The committee also discussed HB 1195, which the sponsor said would clarify rules so veterinarians and veterinary poison-control centers could continue providing timely advice. Members voiced support, including for access to veterinary help in rural areas. A motion to approve received audible support, but the chair did not clearly announce the result before adjournment. ## Senate Public Safety Committee, March 11, 2026 37 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172530454. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/senate-public-safety.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee recommended passage of five measures: HB 1202, correcting a grant-related legal reference; HR 1243, proposing a dedicated state fund for 911 services; HB 1086, requiring building markings to warn firefighters about certain construction; HB 1391, creating a specialty license plate supporting the Georgia Public Safety Foundation; and HB 1181, simplifying vehicle titling for inherited cars. The chair announced unanimous approval for all except HB 1202, which passed by voice vote without a stated count. The chair also discussed upcoming meetings and plans to send some remaining measures to subcommittees for further review. ## House Higher Education Committee, March 11, 2026 1 h 36 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172560632. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-higher-education.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee advanced SB 432, which would extend colleges’ authority to carry certain unspent revenue into later years, and SB 523, which would establish a state-level process for education discrimination complaints. Members approved a substitute for SB 523 and added language covering appeals. The committee also heard SB 556, which would count advanced fine arts coursework toward HOPE Scholarship requirements. Educators and other witnesses supported that change, but the chair held the bill for further work on its wording, including whether courses from additional providers could qualify. ## Senate Science and Technology Committee, March 11, 2026 1 h 08 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172581383. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/senate-science-and-technology.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee unanimously recommended HB 986, which would change sound requirements and raise speed limits for personal delivery devices, for passage to the Rules Committee. The committee also recommended SR 789 for passage after amending the proposed artificial intelligence study committee to have five senators and focus on creative industries. Witnesses discussed copyright protection, job losses, training, access to computing equipment and opportunities for Georgia businesses. Two witnesses spoke after the vote because the chair expected to lose the attendance needed to take action. The chair explained that the full Senate would still need to approve the resolution to create the study committee. ## House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, March 11, 2026 1 h 02 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172590535. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-public-safety-and-homeland-security.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved SB 524, which the sponsor presented as creating specialty license plates honoring the Girl Scouts and the nation's 250th anniversary. Members also approved SB 454, allowing temporary door-locking devices, after adding school emergency-access provisions from HB 1327. The committee then approved SB 116, concerning DNA collection from people charged with crimes who have immigration detainers. Witnesses raised privacy, constitutional, cost and detention concerns about that proposal. Its sponsor said collection would occur if federal immigration authorities did not take custody within the applicable 48-hour period after scheduled release. Opposition was voiced in the final vote, but no vote count was given. ## House Judiciary Juvenile Committee, March 11, 2026 22 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172632128. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/house-judiciary-juvenile.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee considered SB 402, which the sponsor described as expanding a foster-care autism pilot program to three additional regions. Members asked how those regions would be chosen and discussed when program reports should be submitted. The committee adopted amendments requiring annual reports by July 1 after one year of operation and adding two legislative committees as report recipients. The committee then approved the bill as amended by voice vote, with no opposition heard. ## Senate Finance Committee, March 11, 2026 49 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1172560865. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-11/senate-finance.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved HB 1159, which would provide state income tax deductions for federal farmer assistance payments, in a vote the chair described as unanimous. It also approved HB 519, an employer tax credit for hiring eligible workers, with the chair estimating the vote at six to two. Members questioned whether the additional credit would encourage hiring. The committee heard extensive testimony on HB 1070, which would increase and extend a short-line railroad maintenance tax credit. Members raised questions about independent evaluation, taxpayer benefits and overlap with state spending on railroads. The chair postponed further consideration until the next meeting without a vote.