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Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · April 2, 2026
Senate floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, part 1)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed measures on insurance, contraceptive access, child-abuse reporting, property-owner claims against local governments, education, healthcare licensing and court procedures. Debate focused heavily on HB 295, which passed 30 to 22 after opponents raised concerns about lawsuits, local costs and treatment of homeless people. Senators removed a corn-flour fortification requirement from HB 1138 before passing it. The Senate accepted House changes to several bills, including SB 556, which combined a needs-based college scholarship with other education provisions. A proposed change removing medical-education scholarships failed before the House version was approved 36 to 17. Senators set aside HB 1142 after questions about its domestic-violence registry and withdrew a motion on HB 328. The session also included committee reports, honorary resolutions, tributes to departing senators and a local-consent-calendar vote. The excerpt ends with a dinner break.
Isn't that true? That's 100% correct. That's absolutely correct. Any other questions? No other questions, Senator. Thank you, Mr. President. Recognize senator from the 50th. Thank you, Mr. President. And, um, I am coming down just to speak against this amendment. You know, I ran as a constitutionalist, and, uh, while I support our prosecutors and...
So I'm gonna be a no, and I wanted to explain why I'm a no. Uh, just, it just goes back to principle. I think this is a burden shift. This is no, you know, to no offense of the solicitors or the prosecutors, I think they do a good job, um, but in this case I just have, I have some pause supporting this, this amendment due to the fact that I do think it's a...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 25, 2026
Senate floor session, March 25, 2026 (legislative day 37)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed bills on education scholarships, elections, retirement benefits, tax credits, courts, boating and military scholarships. After debate, it passed HB 328, expanding education tax credits, 30 to 20, and HB 369, changing certain county elections to nonpartisan elections, 32 to 21. It tabled HB 1185 after discussion of business court rules and several amendments. Senators approved revised school-zone camera rules in HB 651 and agreed to House changes on reckless stunt driving, pharmacist access to HIV prevention medicine, school discrimination complaints, insurance decisions involving artificial intelligence and DeKalb County compensation. The session also included bill readings, committee referrals and ceremonial recognitions. The Senate adjourned until March 27 at 10 a.m.
Amendment 2A, amend as follows, strike line 10 through 18, line 33, strike A and insert B, line 38, strike five and insert, strike, uh, strike B and insert C. Line 33, insert a new subsection A to read as follows, A, notwithstanding any code section to the contrary for claims brought under this code section when actions involving a code s- actions involving...
Uh, it will cut off any further amendments. We've probably only got eight now. Mr. President? I don't feel comfortable even hearing. If we were to table this bill right now after this, after this amendment- Senate loves to debate. Clearly, senator from the 6th, this is a contentious and, uh, group that likes to debate. Um, on the motion to resolve debate,...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 18, 2026
Senate floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): 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.
Let me just tell you a few reasons why this is a problem. Number one, our Constitution guarantees us the right to a trial by jury. When you're having damages awarded for you or against you, typically you're entitled to a jury trial. We create an exception for these very small claims, and that's why some people call magistrates courts small claims courts....
You're not allowed to obtain documents, to subpoena or request production of documents. So somebody could be theoretically suing you on a contract, you can't even get copies of their invoices. They could be suing you for injuries in an automobile collision and you don't get copies of their medical bills and records, or whether they had previous injuries...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 6, 2026
Senate floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, part 1)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): On Crossover Day, the Senate read incoming legislation and committee reports, then voted on bills covering utilities, elections, public safety, education, licensing and insurance. The Senate passed SB 410, which the sponsor said would end new data-center tax exemptions and require utility contract protections. Members disputed whether those protections would keep costs off household bills. The Senate also passed measures addressing clergy sexual abuse, AI safety, animal cruelty records, human trafficking and prosecutor oversight. SR 838, a proposed constitutional amendment on citizenship and photo identification for voting, failed to receive the required two-thirds vote. SB 573, concerning nonpartisan elections in certain counties, failed, and the sponsor requested reconsideration. No reconsideration vote appears in this transcript. The session paused for dinner after passing SB 593.
Secretary will read SB 572. Senate Bill 572 by Senator Strickland of the 42nd and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article II of Chapter 3 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to justification and excuse in defenses to criminal prosecutions so as to provide for an additional justification for use of force in defense of...
This immunity does not apply when it's asserted against a law enforcement official who's properly identified and acting in his or her official capacity. But this bill is not about a particular case, though those on both sides of the issue may try to make it that way. We don't legislate on a case-by-case basis. With this bill, we are ensuring our criminal...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · February 25, 2026
Senate floor session, February 25, 2026 (legislative day 24)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed SB 433, creating optional autism-related license plates and officer training, and HB 571, licensing radiologist assistants. After debate over privacy, immigration enforcement and collecting DNA before conviction, senators passed SB 116 by 33 to 20 and rejected an amendment requiring a conviction. The Senate also agreed to House changes to SB 162 on medical licensing and SB 218 on oversight of prosecutors. Senators adopted the amended state budget conference report, HB 973, by 49 to 0 and voted to send it immediately to the governor. The budget presenter described funding for tax relief, a state mental hospital, scholarships and homelessness services. The chamber also read new legislation and committee reports, adopted honorary resolutions and adjourned until the following morning.
Senator's yielding. Recognizing the senator from the 55th. I come today to oppose this legislation for one fundamental reason: the right to be innocent until proven guilty. And right now there are people being killed because they are believed to be here illegally. And that is the reason we have a court system. That is why we have something called due...
I'm being treated like a dog. And we cannot afford to allow America to become some Nazi zone. We cannot afford to allow America to, this slippery slope of this experiment called democracy, to lose our rights. Every, as the declaration of the Founding Fathers stated, that founding document that we have where they took that 168 p- p- pa- paragraph words out,...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 16, 2026
Senate floor session, March 16, 2026 (legislative day 32)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed HB 535 after changing its fentanyl provisions following debate over drug possession, addiction and trafficking. It also passed HB 1000, providing a one-time income tax credit, HB 983, clarifying prescribed-burning rules, and HB 1196, addressing trespass and harm involving enclosed wild animals. Members moved three bills to different committees and sent HB 521 back to committee. The Senate adopted recognition resolutions, received committee reports and read bills for the first or second time. A local consent calendar passed 48 to 1, but the transcript did not identify its bill. Members also gave notice of future consideration of House action on SB 220. The Senate adjourned until March 18 at 10 a.m.
Secretary read House Bill 535. House Bill 535 by Representative Smith of the 18th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 42-8-38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to arrest or graduated sanctions for br- probationers violating terms, hearing, disposition of charge, and procedure when probation revoked in county other...
Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate that splendid introduction this morning. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, this goes back to our ongoing battles. The senator from the 8th has been committed to tightening up the rules on fentanyl possession and distribution in this state. It has become quite the plague, a scourge on our society. Young people dying...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · January 13, 2026
Senate floor session, January 13, 2026 (legislative day 2)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate gave first readings and committee assignments to 10 bills and two proposed resolutions. It adopted SR 561, recognizing a longtime Senate legislative assistant and current director of constituent services for the lieutenant governor. Senators reassigned SB 106 to a different committee and changed the primary author of SB 204. After debate over local gun rules and Savannah’s firearm-storage ordinance, the Senate agreed to the House substitute for SB 204 by 32 votes to 21. A separate motion to send it immediately to the governor failed, with 31 voting yes and 21 voting no. The Senate adjourned until January 14 at 10:30 a.m.
Uh, that's all we have for today except for the special And he is not at his chair right now. Senator Moore is not here. Oh, there he is. I see him. Senator, Senator Moore. Recognize the senator from the 53rd for a motion. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that this Senate agree to the House substitute on Senate Bill 204. Senator's moved that the Senate...
So what did the House do? They took a great piece of legislation from the Senate and they gutted it, and then they gutted a Democrat's bill, and they put my legislation in with Senate Bill 204. But luckily, the min- Minority Leader and I have agreed to switch over who is the primary author so the Democrats don't have to take responsibility for this great...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House of Representatives · April 2, 2026
House floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, PM, part 2)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The House adopted the fiscal year 2027 budget agreement in HB 974, passed voting-system changes in SB 214, and approved numerous agreements on Senate changes to House legislation. Topics included insurance claims, property transfers after death, traffic stops and school-zone cameras, contraception access, repeat misdemeanor offenses, newborn surrender, and child-abuse reporting. The House also passed local legislation and road-naming resolutions. Two local homestead-exemption bills did not receive enough votes to pass, but the House voted to reconsider them, with no later passage shown. Members honored the first lady, heard remarks from the governor, and thanked legislative staff. The chair announced that study-committee requests would be considered for panels to be appointed later. The House then adjourned for the session.
Again, we feel that, again, with clarity and consistency, it reads to fair outcomes, removing bias. So again, appreciate, um, all parties working with us to make this the best possible version. This was adopted without objection and unanimously by the Senate. Section three is regarding tinting and essentially harmonizes our window tinting law of motor...
That's already the existing law, but again, some people don't know that. So all of these additional provisions regarding school zone cameras add to clarity, consistency, and transparency. Um, section eight is just r- regarding the effective dates of these, and we're delaying section five till July 1st, 2027 to give localities time to, uh, comply with that....
Meeting transcript · Georgia House of Representatives · March 31, 2026
House floor session, March 31, 2026 (legislative day 39, part 3)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The House passed measures on synthetic hemp products, unclaimed livestock, public pensions, foster students’ school enrollment, and disruption of religious services. It adopted resolutions supporting arts-based mental health initiatives and promotion of the 988 crisis line. Members also approved Senate changes to HB 1077, HB 1185, SB 207, and HB 535. The House approved an amended version of HB 328 after discussion of school tax credits and an eight-year waiting period for certain transit votes. Debate included concerns about shareholder access to company records, protection of protests near religious services, and restrictions on local transit votes. The House adopted a group of honorary resolutions, postponed SB 437 and SB 446 to the next legislative day, and adjourned until April 2 at 10 a.m.
If, uh, if otherwise a, a, uh, complex business litigation case were to go to, say, a court that doesn't have that experience, it could result in a much longer period within which to find resolution. And sometimes these corporations or maybe it's a shareholder suit, they're just looking for resolution one way or the other. It's costing them money the longer...
Thank you, Madam Speaker Pro Tem. I move that the House agree to the Senate Substitute to House Bill 535. Clerk will read the caption. House Bill 535 to be entitled an Act to Amend Code Section 42-8-38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to arrest or graduated sanctions for probationers violating terms, hearing, disposition of charge, and...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 20, 2026
Senate floor session, March 20, 2026 (legislative day 35)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed measures on extended-stay hotel removals, nursing grants, high school completion programs, portable benefits for independent contractors, firefighter safety, mental health facility background checks, utility inventory tax exemptions and other topics. The longest debate concerned HB 61, which passed 32-18 after senators adopted a compromise on notice before removal and eviction records, but rejected proposals to give long-term hotel residents tenant rights. The Senate also adopted two state-property resolutions, approved reconsideration of two previously rejected constitutional amendments, and received committee reports and bill readings. A proposed amendment protecting patients from midyear insurance network changes was ruled unrelated to the bill under consideration. Senators honored a retiring committee chair and heard remarks from the U.S. Treasurer. The Senate adjourned until 10 a.m. Monday, March 23.
Sure ... your property or for being disruptive to the other guests, loud or- Sure ... criminal activity or, you know, tra- uh, trafficking, suspicion of, you know, human trafficking, those kind of things. Sure. What then is the process to remove them? It's a longer process, I'm assuming. I really appreciate that question. I think that's actually a great...
And I think we need to put some of that onus back on the property owner to deal with that problem instead of just the tenant. But I thank you for your question. So I have-- Do you mind another question? Go ahead. Will you yield? Sure. Um, I probably could get on board with your amendment, I think, if it was 90 consecutive days, because if you're staying 30...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 31, 2026
Senate floor session, March 31, 2026 (legislative day 39, part 1)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed measures on early reading instruction, property tax limits, additional judgeships, healthcare, foster care and local government. Senators approved HB 1193 unanimously after revising its literacy coaching and oversight provisions. Debate on HB 1116 centered on homeowner tax relief, sales taxes and limits on local revenue, and the bill passed 31-19. The Senate also approved constitutional proposals for nonpartisan probate judge elections and a Next Generation 911 fund. Senators appointed budget negotiators for HB 974, tabled several measures and voted to prevent floor amendments to a group of tax and campaign finance bills. The transcript ends with HB 297 pending as the Senate paused for dinner.
Immediately, the chief judge said something's wrong because we've been on for five years and our workload has only gone up. So without making this story too long, the, uh, the, they resubmitted their numbers. They discovered that there had been a clerical error in the numbers submitted. And when they finally reran the numbers and approved them, it turned...
When they are the highest circuit, they do deserve and should get a new judge this year without further delay. Happy to answer any questions or yield the well, Mr. President. You have one question, senator from the 35th. Thank you, Senator. Do you yield? Certainly, I yield. Um, isn't it not, is it not true that with this amendment we can fix a clerical...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · February 20, 2026
Senate floor session, February 20, 2026 (legislative day 22)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed six bills, including HB 973, its revised state budget proposal, which the Appropriations chair said included $409 million for a new mental health hospital and about $1.9 billion in tax relief. The House rejected the Senate’s budget changes, and the Senate appointed a conference committee to negotiate differences. Senators also passed bills addressing bingo, Department of Public Health laws, licensing internationally trained physicians, insurers’ use of aerial images, and AI-generated explicit images. During debate on SB 440, senators proposed Medicaid expansion, but an amendment replaced that proposal with an effective date. The chamber also heard first and second readings and committee reports, adopted an unspecified group of consent-calendar resolutions, and adjourned until February 24.
I've got no resources for them." And this is the worst part. Oftentimes that person tells me that, "I was told if I could just get them arrested, like, they would just get arrested, maybe they would get help." That is the system that we've operated under for way too long. And we've asked our jails to be our mental health hospitals. We have sent people with...
I remember the time when I went out, and understand now my major was criminal justice for two reasons. I thought it was interesting, and I thought it might be the easiest thing I could take. What I did not realize is I was entering the most rewarding career that any man or woman in the state of Georgia could ever choose. But I was surprised to see what...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 23, 2026
Senate floor session, March 23, 2026 (legislative day 36)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed HB 1009, extending school-day phone restrictions to high school students, after rejecting an amendment allowing access between classes. Senators also passed measures on advanced math, forestry tax credits, local property-tax relief, bankruptcy protections, school financial oversight, public health employees and medical treatment rules. A substitute to HB 154 replaced its ambulance provisions with a proposal to seek year-round Atlantic Standard Time. A lengthy debate over district attorney pay ended with passage of HB 1020, followed by notice of a request to reconsider it. Senators left SB 350, concerning DeKalb County officials’ pay, available for later action after questions about conflicting pay provisions. They returned HB 79 to the Rules Committee, adopted a family-farm study resolution and agreed to the House changes to SB 427. The Senate adjourned until March 25.
W- how is that fair? Does the senator further yield for one last question? Sure. So earlier you stated that this is a situation where current DAs can either opt in or opt out. It is. Is it not true that when a new DA is elected in that same county that still has a greater workload, that has a larger amount of ADAs that have to be supervised, that is working...
Because we are from districts that probably do violate the 14th Amendment, and that's a fight that maybe we need to look at so that we can stop playing these other games. Now, with respect to, I represent DeKalb County and Gwinnett Counties. I don't represent Fulton County, but I do represent Fulton County because I- I'm upholding the law of the state of...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · June 17, 2026
Senate floor session, June 17, 2026 (legislative day 1)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate opened the special session and debated rules, scheduling and communication between party leaders. The chair announced that SR 1, setting special-session rules, failed despite a 30-21 vote in favor. Senators adopted SR 2 to notify the House that the Senate had convened, approved the meeting schedule in SR 3 by 45-5, and adopted HR 2 to notify the governor. Four bills and one proposed constitutional amendment received first readings and committee assignments. During debate, the president pro tempore said district maps would not be redrawn during this special session. Members also raised concerns about election equipment, Juneteenth plans and the costs of returning for a special session. The Senate adjourned until 10:30 a.m. on June 18.
And I come here and people are just cackling around and saying, "Oh, uh, we, we're ready to go." If we were ready to go, we would've done our jobs during our 40 days earlier, and here we are playing around with days. We're celebrating Juneteenth by, "Oh, we're gonna play with the maps. Oh, no, we're not. We're not gonna do it last minute. Oh, we're, we're...
I'm tired of it. And I know this is how things are done, but I'm still gonna remind everybody that this is ridiculous. This is ridiculous. If we're gonna be here, let's get some work done. Why are we having a schedule where we can just pack it in in a day or two 'cause we know we can? You make the rules. We can be done tomorrow if we wanted to. But no, you...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 19, 2026
Senate floor session, March 19, 2026 (legislative day 34)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed measures on education, public safety license plates, manufactured-home taxes, delivery robots, veterinary care and funeral insurance payments. Senators also agreed 51-0 to changes to HB 1199, including a 60-day motor-fuel tax suspension, and ordered immediate transmission to the House. Two proposed constitutional amendments, HR 251 on nonpartisan probate judge elections and HR 1243 on a dedicated 911 fund, failed to reach the required two-thirds majority. Supporters gave notice they would seek reconsideration. Debate on both centered partly on minority-party requests for negotiation and compromise. The Senate moved HB 960 to Ethics and HB 1193 to Appropriations, heard bill readings and committee reports, and approved an unnamed local consent calendar 49-0. The session also included community recognitions before adjournment until the next morning.
And what they're really doing is creating more distrust in the process and at the same time using this bill create more distrust in our legal system. Isn't that true? Senator, I'll a- answer your first question by saying yes, my constituents do oftentimes express frustration with the gridlock in DC. Uh, the s- answer to your second question, I don't know...
But again, like I said yesterday, the citizens are watching. Um, you're not gonna score bonus points at the ballot box by doing this today. The media, they're not even standing at their cameras back there looking at us, watching us do this. So I mean, this kind of looks a little silly. Um, but Mr. President, I hope that, you know, we just continue to do the...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 3, 2026
Senate floor session, March 3, 2026 (legislative day 26)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate approved a joint study of family-farm sustainability and passed measures addressing public contracting, native plants, homebuilding permits and inspections, road obstruction, institutional purchases of homes, sexual-offender monitoring, sheriff qualifications, school mask rules, and parent notification of student services. Members amended the road-obstruction measure to retain the existing offense for blocking sidewalks while increasing penalties for blocking roads. The Senate also adopted a Blue and White Day recognition, passed an unidentified local-consent bill 45-0, and read numerous bills and committee reports. The transcript does not identify the measures adopted on the privileged-resolution consent calendar. The Senate adjourned until 10 a.m. March 4.
The bill also clarifies that private party professionals, uh, may be used immediately. It accelerates the timeline from thirty days to fifteen business days for a plan review or an inspection, and that cuts red tape and is business-friendly. It also allows for the virtual option for inspections, uh, and it, it is geared and neck down only to residential...
All right, any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. Is there objections to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. Previous question is ordered. Question is on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 4, 2026
Senate floor session, March 4, 2026 (legislative day 27)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed measures on outdoor conservation funding, retirement benefits, rental-home guarantees, condominium insurance, student political expression, school discrimination complaints, campus police protections, specialty license plates and cursive instruction. It also passed SB 406, establishing oversight of property owners associations, after adopting two amendments. Senators rejected amendments addressing broader religious-discrimination language, excused absences for civic events and local rent regulation. A road-naming resolution was adopted, while SR 668, concerning property taxation of data-center equipment, was set aside. The Senate confirmed a group of governor’s appointments 44-7 and tabled one nomination. Numerous bills received first or second readings. The chamber adjourned until 9 a.m. Friday, March 6.
The Senate will come back to order. Secretary, please read Senate Bill 523. Senate Bill 523 by Senator Goodman of the 8th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to education so as to authorize public schools and post-secondary educational institutions to consider antisemitism in the same...
For our students and employees. This legislation will create parity between these two foundational civil rights protections by creating a statewide accountability through designated coordinators and annual reporting. Building on the foundation established in OCGA 50-1-12 and existing Board of Regents policies with a uniform process across all public schools...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 31, 2026
Senate floor session, March 31, 2026 (legislative day 39, part 2)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed bills on transportation agencies, repeat misdemeanor offenses, traffic stops, cancer treatment facilities, estate transfers and other topics. It passed HB 297, which would combine two transportation authorities, 30 to 19 after debate over state and local control. Senators also agreed to House changes on teacher retirement, homeowners associations, unclaimed property and other legislation. They replaced SB 17 with a process for intervening in financially distressed cities, approving the amended version 32 to 17 after substantial debate. The Senate rejected House changes to SB 398 because the sponsor said protections for children had been removed. Several bills were tabled, and nine were briefly removed from the table and tabled again to preserve their availability for Thursday. The Senate adjourned until 10 a.m. on April 2.
Chair Public Safety, senator from the 56th. Thank you, Mr. President. For expediency and time, I'm gonna talk about all three amendments in the bill. This bill was brought by a representative in the House who had worked, uh, for the last two years, uh, specific on a move over law in Georgia. If you're getting pulled over or something has happened, to make...
A couple questions, Senator. Recognize senator from the 37th. Thank you, Mr. President. Does the gentleman yield? I yield. Um, on amendment three, the, uh, provision that deals with 30 days for each mile the person travels while fleeing, uh, is there a limitation to that? I mean, I, I can imagine if someone were to flee and to head south to Florida- ......
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 12, 2026
Senate floor session, March 12, 2026 (legislative day 31)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed HB 1199 after debate over federal tax changes and affordable-housing tax credits. It also passed bills addressing first-offender records, dietitian and nutritionist licensing, rehabilitation programs for healthcare professionals, protections for code enforcement workers, and Solid Waste Trust Fund spending. Senators agreed to a House substitute to SB 59 increasing hurricane-related timber tax credits and sent HB 1020 back to the Standing Rules Committee. An unnamed group of local bills passed 43 to 0. The Senate also received bill readings and committee reports, adopted recognition resolutions, heard from the U.S. secretary of veterans affairs, and heard members’ remarks on community concerns. The session adjourned until 10 a.m. Monday, March 16.
Secretary will read the caption of House Bill 162. House Bill 162 by Representatives Hagan of the 156th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter three of Title thirty-five of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations so as to provide for the re-restriction and seal of first offender act...
This allows people to keep these proceedings confidential. They're meant for non-serious crimes, uh, and it's to allow a person a second chance for a first offense only. And what, what we've learned is, uh, if it becomes public information that you were sentenced under a first offender plea, then you really lose most of the advantage of that because all...
Meeting transcript · Georgia State Senate · March 27, 2026
Senate floor session, March 27, 2026 (legislative day 38)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Senate passed a revised election bill, HB 960, after extended debate, and approved the fiscal year 2027 budget, HB 974, 52-0. After the House rejected the budget changes, the Senate insisted on its version, leaving the chambers in disagreement. Senators also passed measures on income taxes, maternal leave for state employees, religious instruction during school hours, homelessness-service reporting, transit taxes, railroad maintenance, service dogs, teacher preparation and business court cases. Several bills were substantially rewritten from their original subjects. The Senate agreed to House changes on measures covering medical cannabis reporting, emergency services, securities fraud, school finances, clergy misconduct, AI chatbots and other subjects. It tabled SB 346, read numerous bills and committee reports, and adjourned until March 31.
Secretary will read House Bill 1118. House Bill 1118 by Representative Donatucci of the 105th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 20 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to personnel administration so as to provide 80 hours of maternal birth leave, to provide for...
Hope you all will join me in supporting House Bill 1118. Happy to take any questions. I'll yield the will. Is there objections to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. The previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the reporting committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The reporting...
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