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House Judiciary Juvenile Committee

House Judiciary Juvenile Committee, March 11, 2026

2025-2026 Regular Session · 403 CAP · 22 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.

Copy for LLM, View as markdown, and Send to AI use the Markdown version: the summaries Georgia Commons wrote, under headings that name them, then the whole transcript with its times. View raw is the transcript alone.

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 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.

Bills discussed (1)

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 402. Children and Youth; pilot program provision for screenings, clinical evaluations, training for autism spectrum disorder to children in foster care; establish

From 0:11:32 · turns 1 to 105

The sponsor said SB 402 would expand an autism pilot from one foster-care region to three more, testing whether the original findings hold elsewhere before further state spending. The sponsor said the original pilot found children in foster care were six or seven times more likely to have autism, and suggested families seeking resources contributed to children entering care. Asked how regions were selected, the sponsor said the original pilot used Region 12 because the expert was nearby, reducing travel costs. The three additional regions had not been chosen; the sponsor hoped they would be geographically dispersed. A committee member proposed changing reporting deadlines and adding report recipients. The sponsor supported reporting by July 1 so findings could inform the governor’s budget recommendations. The committee adopted an amendment requiring a report after one year of operation and annually thereafter, no later than July 1, for the pilot’s duration. A second adopted amendment added the House Judiciary Juvenile Committee and Senate Children and Families Committee as report recipients. Both amendments and the bill as amended passed by voice vote, with no opposition heard.

Transcript

107 turns. Select a time to play that moment of the video.

  1. 0:00:00

    All right, good afternoon. Oh, let me see. Can

  2. 0:11:19

    you guys hear me? Good afternoon. There we go. Thank you so much for coming to Judiciary Juvenile this afternoon. Um, we do have one measure to take up. I know everyone's crunched for time today, but this is SB 402. And, um, I don't see the Senate sponsor, and I don't see the House sponsor. But this is a measure we've discussed before, so... Nope. Oh, thank you so much. Come on in. All right. So what we're gonna do, if it's all right, is I'm gonna let Vice Chair Jenkins actually conduct the meeting, and I'm gonna go through the bill.

  3. 0:11:52

    Um, Vice Chair Jenkins, whenever you're ready.

  4. 0:11:55

    Okay. Do we have any signed up to speak or just you?

  5. 0:11:57

    Just one. Yeah.

  6. 0:11:59

    I think we have one person.

  7. 0:12:00

    Okay. Well, we'll work all that out in a minute. Chairman Camp.

  8. 0:12:05

    All right. Thank you. All right. So today we're looking at Senate Bill 402, and it's LC481693S, and it is a Senate committee substitute, I believe.

  9. 0:12:20

    One person.

  10. 0:12:21

    All right. So this bill is very similar to the bill that was presented by... Well, there he is. All right. I was just about to present your bill for you, but please come on up.

  11. 0:12:31

    If you've got a copy, that'd be great.

  12. 0:12:33

    There you go.

  13. 0:12:35

    Thank you.

  14. 0:12:37

    Sorry, y'all. We're trying to work through a little video, so it's-

  15. 0:12:41

    We 100% get it. If you could, have a seat, Chairman, and t- catch your breath.

  16. 0:12:44

    Sure. Just ... It's been a-

  17. 0:12:45

    All right. I'm just gonna say, this is very similar to the bill that, um, Chairman Cooper presented, I presented, Deborah Silcox is carrying regarding, um, study regarding autism. And w- are you good with, do you have the copy and everything?

  18. 0:13:00

    Yes, I do.

  19. 0:13:00

    All right. Whenever you're ready, please go ahead.

  20. 0:13:02

    Well, first, thank you all so much for allowing me to present to you. Many of you have championed these issues concerning children and autism for m- many more years than I've even been in the legislature, so I wanna acknowledge that up front. What we tried to do a year and a half ago was start a pilot program in one region of the state to look at the relationship and correlation between children in our foster care homes, in DFCS custody, and autism. We ran it in one region. We ran it with a doctor, Dr.

  21. 0:13:33

    Michelle Zina. You know her from Georgia Southern area, um, what she's done on this process.

  22. 0:13:40

    And the correlation came back, uh, pretty as- astounding. Uh, six to one, seven to one, uh, it's sometimes more likely if you're in our foster care to au- uh, foster care system to have autism. I don't think the foster care system causes autism. I don't want you to think that. But what it does show is that the reason these kid- these children end up in our care is because their families are seeking either resources or, or, or just don't know where to turn. So what we're looking at now is to replicate that into three more regions and make sure the region we ran it in was not just an anomaly.

  23. 0:14:16

    We don't think it is, but before we're gonna go spending additional state funds on this, let's, let's model that out one more time and make sure that the correlation is still there. And that's what Senate Bill 402 does. It expands the pilot. There are 14 regions in the state. We ran it in one. Let's run them in three more. That should tell us, hey, is it, was it geographic? Is that what caused this or, or, or not? And then as we look at providing more, uh, services across the state to address autism and hopefully help lower the number of children we have in state custody and care.

  24. 0:14:48

    All right. Thank you. Thank you so much for your advocacy for children in the foster care system. Um, are there any questions from committee members regarding this? Um, Representative Rice, whenever you're ready, ask your question.

  25. 0:14:59

    All right. Thank you, Senator, for bringing this. I know we both share a passion on foster care and, and appreciate your work on that. And, and I apologize, I walked in late. I was actually with your wife over there, so came straight from there. Um, so how ... If you covered it while I'm, while I was gone, I apologize, but how were the 14 areas selected?

  26. 0:15:17

    So the 14 areas are actually your DFCS regions already. And we ran a pilot in Region 12.

  27. 0:15:22

    Mm-hmm.

  28. 0:15:22

    We're now looking at running, replicating that in three other areas to see if that correlation continues, uh, the correlation between children in our foster care and, and autism.

  29. 0:15:32

    Okay, so I misspoke. So, so how were those three selected? That's what the-

  30. 0:15:35

    They haven't been.

  31. 0:15:37

    Oh, okay.

  32. 0:15:37

    Yeah. There's-

  33. 0:15:37

    So, so they're not-

  34. 0:15:38

    I, I'm not picking. It's, uh, Region 12 ended up getting picked honestly because that's where our expert was. Uh, Dr. Zina, if we were gonna have to pay her travel s- expense, we said, "Hey, you don't have to travel nearly as often if you're, uh, stuck in Statesboro. Your mileage is less."

  35. 0:15:52

    Okay. So operationally, it would be to their discretion which three they choose to do this pilot in?

  36. 0:15:56

    Yes, ma'am. I'd hope they'd pick ones that are geographically dispersed so that we can make sure that that correlation holds and it's not geographic in its nature.

  37. 0:16:04

    Thank you.

  38. 0:16:06

    Thank you so much. That was a great question. Um, this bill is almost identical to the bill that, um, was brought by Sharon Cooper. I'm sorry, Representative Cooper, Chairman Cooper. Um, she presented it, and then Dr. Zina came in and spoke to us, um, last month. So very close. Um, and Senator, one thing that actually has been passed over to you is, um, some amendments, and we certainly would like to discuss that with you. This would make the bills almost identical, um, if, depending on how you feel about these potential changes.

  39. 0:16:43

    First one looks like you're taking in, pulling out the timeframe. Are you sure that you wanna pull out July 1st, 2027, no later than? Our reason for including that was if they said annually and we pass this budget and we end up getting it in, getting the report in a November timeframe-

  40. 0:17:01

    Mm-hmm

  41. 0:17:02

    ... then we have to deal with it on our budget side, whereas if it came out in a July timeframe, the governor can include it in his side. That's the only reason we did it differently.

  42. 0:17:09

    Mm-hmm.

  43. 0:17:09

    I want you to know why.

  44. 0:17:10

    And that's why you're the Appropriations chair for the Senate. You know things like that. Okay.

  45. 0:17:13

    We'd rather put it on his dime than ours if possible.

  46. 0:17:16

    I gotcha. I gotcha. How do you feel about the l- um, adding the addition of upon one year of operation of the pilot program?

  47. 0:17:23

    Can you tell me where you're putting that? Because I, I see lines 49 and 50, but I'm just not sure where that would go in based on the amendment I've been given.

  48. 0:17:30

    Well, let's see. How did, how would it go in the other bill?

  49. 0:17:36

    It just replaces

  50. 0:17:37

    Oh, oh, that, that... Okay. So that's what replaced no later than January. Okay.

  51. 0:17:41

    Oh, so you wanted it say upon one year of operation?

  52. 0:17:44

    Um, yes, upon one year of operation of the pilot program, I believe is what the other bill had.

  53. 0:17:48

    Tell you what you could do that possibly merges those ideas and might accomplish both of our purposes. If you wanna word the phrase upon one year of operation of the pilot program and every year thereafter, no later than July 1st, then you accomplish bot- both of our purposes.

  54. 0:18:07

    Oh, we're missing somebody. Where's Holly? There she is. Holly, you're behind somebody. I was like, "Wait a second. Where's Legislative Counsel?" Thank you, Ms. Carter, for being here with us. All right. Um, Ms. Carter, based on what Chairman Tillery just gave us, does that sound like something that could be added to the bill?

  55. 0:18:24

    Yes, as I understand it, um, line 49, upon one year of operation of the pilot program and annually thereafter until July 1st, 2031, is the amendment that I have. Is that what the chairman is looking for?

  56. 0:18:39

    Ms. Baker, I think I would say instead of and no later... The last part, I think it says and when you said annually thereafter, no later than July 1st. Because I need them to report, I need them to report so that the governor includes it in his budget-

  57. 0:18:56

    Gotcha

  58. 0:18:57

    ... each year, so I don't, I don't want it to come out annually until July 1st, 2031. I'm wanting it to come out annually each July so that the governor gets to consider it in his gov- his or her governor gubernatorial re- recommendations.

  59. 0:19:12

    So no later than July 1st, 2027, and, and upon-

  60. 0:19:16

    I don't need the 2027.

  61. 0:19:18

    Okay.

  62. 0:19:18

    We can just say no l- annually no later than July 1st.

  63. 0:19:21

    Okay. Okay.

  64. 0:19:23

    Okay.

  65. 0:19:24

    Does that make...

  66. 0:19:25

    All right. Thank you. And, um, and then selfishly, I would like to get a copy of the report, um, line 53. Do you have any objection to that?

  67. 0:19:32

    I have no objection. I'd ask if you do that, if you'd please also give a copy to the Senate's, uh, Children and Families Committee.

  68. 0:19:39

    I don't have an issue-

  69. 0:19:39

    Sure

  70. 0:19:39

    ... with that. Okay. All right. So, um, do we have any-

  71. 0:19:44

    I make the motion due pass.

  72. 0:19:46

    You may make-

  73. 0:19:46

    Consider the

  74. 0:19:47

    You may. You may. All right. So d- are there any further questions at this point regarding the bill itself before we start adding the amendments in?

  75. 0:19:54

    That sounds good.

  76. 0:19:55

    Okay. All right.

  77. 0:19:56

    I, I move for the, to due pass.

  78. 0:19:58

    Second. So I have a motion due pass. Second. All right. Let's have a discussion about these amendments. All right. Um, let's see. Kevin, what do you have written? Or Ms. Carter, can you read us-

  79. 0:20:11

    Rep Baker. Sorry

  80. 0:20:12

    ... the, um, the first amendment we discussed regarding lines 49 and 50?

  81. 0:20:19

    Yes. No later than July 1st and annually thereafter.

  82. 0:20:24

    Okay.

  83. 0:20:26

    Is that satisfactory to you, Bill?

  84. 0:20:27

    I don't think that's not. Can I take a, a stab at it, Ms. Carter, and just read all of line 49? Let me see if I can do it. Upon one year of operation of the pilot program

  85. 0:20:41

    and annually thereafter, no later than July 1st for the duration of the pilot. That should be how line 59 reads, I believe.

  86. 0:20:50

    Well...

  87. 0:20:51

    Okay.

  88. 0:20:52

    So moved.

  89. 0:20:53

    49.

  90. 0:20:54

    Second. So motion second. Any discussion? All right. All those in favor of the first amendment, say aye. Aye.

  91. 0:21:03

    Aye.

  92. 0:21:03

    Aye.

  93. 0:21:03

    Any opposition? Okay. All right, passes. All right, and as far as the second amendment on lines 53, um, adding the House Judiciary Juvenile Committee and the Senate Children and Families Committee.

  94. 0:21:22

    So moved.

  95. 0:21:23

    Okay. Have a motion. Second. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye.

  96. 0:21:29

    Aye.

  97. 0:21:29

    Aye.

  98. 0:21:29

    Aye.

  99. 0:21:29

    Any opposition? All right. Thank you. All right. So let's make a motion, or let's, um, move on the motion on voting on the bill. All those in favor of passing the bill as amended, say aye. Aye.

  100. 0:21:41

    Aye.

  101. 0:21:41

    Aye.

  102. 0:21:41

    Aye.

  103. 0:21:42

    Any opposition? All right. Thank you. Your motion passes.

  104. 0:21:45

    Thank you. Thank you all for your time. And I hope that-

  105. 0:21:47

    Thank you. I'll get you a rules form sent to your office, okay?

  106. 0:21:50

    All right.

  107. 0:21:50

    Thank you. Thank everyone for being here today and your participation, and we are adjourned.

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