--- title: Georgia House and Senate meetings on March 18, 2026 collection: meetings id: meetings:day:2026-03-18 canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18.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/2026-03-17.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-19.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/index.md date: 2026-03-18 count: 13 --- # Georgia House and Senate meetings on March 18, 2026 ## Senate Rules Committee, March 18, 2026 28 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174769879. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-rules.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee heard presentations on education, taxes, public safety, vehicle titles, veterinary care and other issues. Members unanimously referred HB 445 and HB 485 to the Standing Rules Committee. After hearing presentations and reviewing other measures, the committee unanimously approved ten measures for the floor calendar. Those included proposals on pre-K after-school access, technical college education, manufactured-home taxes, veterinary care, funeral expenses, delivery devices, public safety license plates, nonpartisan probate judge elections and a dedicated 911 fund. Other measures were discussed without a calendar vote. ## Senate Transportation Committee, March 18, 2026 1 h 43 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174481058. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee unanimously approved HB 944, an annual update to federal transportation references; HB 1434, requiring local protection of airport airspace, with an amendment narrowing the transportation department’s role; and HB 1230, restricting drone flights over jails and prisons and targeting drone deliveries of contraband. The committee unanimously tabled HB 205, which would require government agencies to use drones from an approved list. That discussion focused on the sponsor’s national security concerns and witnesses’ warnings about replacement costs and reduced emergency-response capabilities. The chair invited the sponsor and stakeholders to bring possible compromises to the next meeting. ## House Ways & Means Committee, March 18, 2026 19 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174501941. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/house-ways-and-means.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved substitute versions of SB 430 and SB 285 by voice vote, with no vote totals announced. Discussion of SB 430 focused on allowing qualifying military museums to seek tourism-related funding and adding oversight of hotel and motel tax funds. For SB 285, a committee member described a two-year funding approach for the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund using existing tax revenue rather than new taxes. The chair said the other bills were postponed, and the meeting adjourned. ## House floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33) 3 h 38 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174091255. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/house-floor.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The House passed legislation on egg-sale rules, vehicle dealer fraud, school discrimination complaints, emergency defibrillator coordination, child death reviews and licensing internationally trained physicians. Members also agreed to Senate changes on radiologist assistant licensing and dietetics licensing. The House approved HB 1199 with a House amendment covering tax conformity, a $100 million housing tax credit cap and a 60-day gas tax pause, then ordered immediate transmission to the Senate. A package of local legislation passed 161 to 2, while SB 543 was removed and returned to committee. Members heard bill readings and committee reports, adopted honorary resolutions, welcomed community groups and recognized a retiring member’s service. The House adjourned until March 19 at 10 a.m. ## Senate floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33) 7 h 14 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174105199. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-floor.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The Senate passed HB 998 on rural telephone service, HB 1159 on tax relief for farm assistance payments, HB 1302 on education and workforce coordination, HB 1379 on foreign funding disclosures, HB 999 on magistrate courts, and HB 376 on historic rehabilitation tax credits. Senators also agreed to House changes to SB 220, with further amendments to the medical cannabis proposal. Debate included rural communications, utility consumer protections, minimum wage, foreign influence in schools, access to small claims court, and cannabis benefits and risks. The Senate returned HB 439 to the Finance Committee to fix an error and received numerous committee reports and bill readings. A senator gave notice of plans to consider House changes to HB 1199 on the next legislative day. The Senate adjourned until 10 a.m. March 19. ## House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, March 18, 2026 1 h 14 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174522516. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/house-public-safety-and-homeland-security.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved SB 433, which the sponsor described as creating an optional autism-related license plate and requiring autism training for law enforcement officers. Witnesses supported the training, while some urged broader options and raised concerns about privacy and access to the plate. The committee also unanimously approved SB 565, concerning legal protections for officers at private colleges and universities. After a recess, the chair announced that SB 442 would be held while interested parties continued discussions. The committee did not hear a presentation on that bill. ## House Higher Education Committee, March 18, 2026 19 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174885237. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/house-higher-education.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee discussed changes to SB 400 concerning contributions to the Tuition Guarantee Trust Fund, which the agency head described as protection for students when schools close unexpectedly. Members asked about contribution limits, the fund’s stability, school oversight and possible changes to federal student-loan relief. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote and sent it to the Rules Committee. The chair held over SB 566 while language changes were being worked out. ## House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, March 18, 2026 1 h 59 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174526818. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/house-judiciary-non-civil.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved SB 604, which would expand the attorney general’s role in criminal prosecutions, SB 605, which would add grounds for disciplining elected prosecutors, and SB 547, which would make first offenses of pimping and pandering felonies. The vote on SB 604 included one opposing vote. Members also heard testimony on SB 499, which would remove the general state prohibition on possessing silencers. Discussion focused on federal registration requirements, hearing protection, public safety and a proposed amendment restricting possession by people barred from having firearms. No vote on that bill or its amendment occurred in the transcript. The chair announced that the committee would continue the next morning at 8:30. ## House Governmental Affairs Committee, March 18, 2026 37 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174873407. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/house-governmental-affairs.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved a substitute for SB 284 that combined authority to order repayment to securities-fraud victims with school-roofing procurement provisions presented from HB 669. Members asked who would be covered by the repayment authority and how victims currently recover money. The committee also approved SB 593, which would require local governments to disclose development impact fees upon a written request describing a project. Both measures passed by voice vote, with no vote counts stated. ## Senate Public Safety Committee, March 18, 2026 1 h 12 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174925543. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-public-safety.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved all five bills it considered: HB 1409 on child-abuse reporting, HB 283 on unsigned traffic citations and digital driver’s licenses, HB 1283 on family justice centers, HB 494 on moped insurance, and HB 1161 on traffic stops and penalties for fleeing state public safety officers. Members discussed officer discretion under HB 283, funding and records rules under HB 1283, and whether the penalties in HB 1161 would deter fleeing. They also examined protections for drivers seeking a safe place to stop. HB 1409 and HB 494 passed unanimously. HB 283 passed with two opposing votes, and HB 1161 passed 5–1. No opposition was heard in the voice vote on HB 1283. ## Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, March 18, 2026 46 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174526134. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-agriculture-and-consumer-affairs.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved a nomination to the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission and unanimously approved HR 1416, which would create a joint study committee on keeping family farms viable across generations. Most of the meeting concerned a substitute for HB 413 that replaced its mobile-sawmill subject with transfer-on-death deed changes drawn from HB 899. The sponsor and a real estate attorney described the changes as fixes to existing law, including problems with property owners losing homestead exemptions. Members asked about ownership rights, beneficiaries, taxes and dividing land. The committee unanimously approved the substitute for HB 413. No separate vote on HB 899 was shown. ## Senate Finance Committee, March 18, 2026 1 h 07 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174562327. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-finance.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved four measures. It unanimously approved a corrected substitute for HB 439, removing a paragraph about an $18,000 homestead exemption. It also approved a substitute extending HB 1070 to January 1, 2028, while the credit receives further study, by a 4-2 vote. For HB 1129, members discussed oversight of enterprise zones and added a July 1, 2031 expiration date, with language intended to protect projects already approved or in the approval process. The amended measure passed 7-1. The committee unanimously approved HB 1085, which the sponsor said would encourage forestry manufacturing investment through transferable tax credits. Discussion focused on mill closures, new markets for wood, and whether selling credits would divert some of the benefit to buyers and intermediaries. ## Senate Health and Human Services Committee, March 18, 2026 1 h 24 min. Video: https://vimeo.com/1174942489. Twin: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-health-and-human-services.md Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved HB 1096 on public health employees’ leave benefits, SR 927 creating a prescription access study committee, HB 471 on newborn water safety education, and HB 717 regulating psychedelic treatment clinics, all unanimously. A substitute for HB 154 proposing a move to Atlantic Standard Time year-round passed 11 to 2 after discussion of health benefits, darker mornings and interstate scheduling concerns. The committee also heard testimony on HB 350, which would add ambulance services as infant surrender locations and allow infant safety devices. Members raised questions about safety, oversight, anonymity and alternatives to the devices. The committee voted 8 to 4 to table that bill until the following week, with the chair promising more information and follow-up.