Georgia CommonsSearch every collection
Search Georgia Commons
Bills, Supreme Court opinions, the Code and the two constitutions, and House and Senate meeting transcripts, in one search. Ask in plain words: the search ranks passages by meaning as well as by their words.
Filters:Georgia House Judiciary Committee 2026 Clear filters
Found 15 matching documents.
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 4, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 4, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved four bills: HB 1475, concerning representatives continuing public-benefit matters after an applicant dies; HB 1433, increasing penalties for unauthorized practice of law; HB 1470, addressing allegedly abusive website-accessibility lawsuits; and HB 899, revising transfer-on-death deed procedures. Members amended HB 1475 before approval and approved substitutes for HB 1470 and HB 899. The committee also discussed HB 1360, which would prohibit class-action tax-refund lawsuits against counties and cities. Supporters described costs to taxpayers, while members raised concerns about affordable access to legal relief. The committee tabled that bill, with the chair indicating it could return the next day.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Members of the committee, uh, at this late hour, I bring you House Bill 1360, and I'm gonna turn it over to Aaron Kapler to explain what's going on. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, thank you very much. My name is Aaron Kapler. I represent Sumter County. I'm the county attorney for Bryan County, and I also...
There are essentially two tax refund statutes. There's 48-2-35, which is the state, and again, it already precludes class actions for tax refunds against the state. And there's 48-5-380, which is the tax refund statute for counties and cities. What was the first statute? I'm sorry. Yes, ma'am. The first statute is 48-2-35. The language in the amendment of...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 5, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): 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.
Thank you. Chairman Cheokas, uh, House Bill 1360. You need a motion to lift it off the table. Well, first, do we have a motion to take that bill off of the table? So moved. All right. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. No. All right. All right. Chairman Cheokas, uh, give us an update of any changes since we were here...
Okay. All right. Any further, any further presentation? Um, any questions for the author or Mr. Kappler? Representative Cheokas. Oh, I'm sorry. Representative Silcox. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, does, does this replace or come in lieu of, um, a freeze if someone wants to freeze their as- So- ... assessment? That's a great question. This has...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · February 23, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, February 23, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved HB 1365, HB 1364 and HB 688, along with amended versions of HB 1221 and HB 1348. These measures concerned an additional superior court judge, timeshare foreclosures, delivery of court documents, homeowners’ association collection practices and court-appointed receivers’ pay. Much of the meeting focused on HB 1223, which would restrict public access to recordings depicting death. Members heard arguments about family privacy, commercial use of footage, news reporting and public oversight. The committee adopted several amendments but rejected a proposed news-media exception. With another amendment still unresolved, the chair postponed further work until Wednesday at 1 p.m. No final vote on that bill occurred.
Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is House Bill 1364. Um, I guess I would call this the Jumanji Bill because we're sort of going back to the beginning of the game, uh, with respect to foreclosure of interests of another real popular, uh, device, uh, timeshares. We talked about HOAs, let's talk about timeshares as long as we're in that warm and fuzzy area....
Well, it's still not encoded, but let's provide- Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right, bill passes.
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 2, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 2, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard seven bills. It tabled HB 899 after supporters and opponents disagreed over changes to transfer-on-death deeds. It approved HB 1403, concerning judges’ military legal service, and a substitute to HB 1223, restricting access to government recordings depicting a person’s death. It also approved HB 1028 after extending its compensation-system opt-in deadline to 2034, and HB 1397 after broadening protections against prosecution based on evidence from sexual assault examinations. The committee approved HB 1414, concerning related limited liability companies. It began discussing HB 1343, which would offer a streamlined process for establishing unmarried fathers’ legal status, but took no vote. The chair said that discussion would continue the next morning.
Mm-hmm. Okay. All right. Vice Chair Reeves. Just to give Representative Evans or others, uh, time to draft, one thing I'd like to say, uh, you know, I remember when you presented this bill for, uh, signature, it was those situations when people, uh, uh, have had a date rape drug- Right ... um, or intoxication or something where they're not in the position...
Second. Can we just read it, read it, read it as it would read? Absolutely. So the, the line starting line 53 would read, "Any person who has received a forensic medical examination performed pursuant to this code section shall not be arrested, charged, or prosecuted for any criminal violation if the evidence for the arrest, charge, or prosecution of such...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · February 18, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, February 18, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved six bills: HB 1208 on certified court reporters at depositions, HB 1185 on business court and shareholder claims, HB 664 on older homeowners associations joining state law, HB 792 on magistrate court claim limits, HB 1160 on wrongful death filing deadlines, and HB 1024 on bankruptcy homestead exemptions. Members amended the magistrate court bill to set a $25,000 limit and clarified a legal reference in the wrongful death bill. Two proposed changes to the shareholder bill failed. The committee held HB 1243, which would expand researchers’ access to criminal justice data, after witnesses raised privacy concerns and possible conflicts with state and federal law.
All right. So that one. All right. If I get home. Oh, you want to get that one? I don't know. Let me... How long is this gonna take? Five hours. To hold? I know. Maybe three minutes. You think? Okay. All right. We'll call that one. House Bill 1160, Representative Crawford. Now let's, let's try to move quick, please. Thank you, Chairman. Is it okay if I sit...
And so I would, if there is an amendment, I can change that section, as opposed to the general statute reference 19-7-1 Section C. Thank you. Okay. All right. I don't see any other questions for the author. What's the will of the committee? Move, do you pass. Second. All right. Got a motion and a second. I have an amendment. Amendment. All right. Go ahead....
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · February 9, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, February 9, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved four bills. HB 1024 would raise the amount of home equity protected in bankruptcy, following discussion about homeowners’ needs and repayment to creditors. The committee approved a substitute to HB 211 setting a gross negligence standard for PFAS receivers, despite objections about public notice and questions about its wording. Survivors, whistleblowers and advocates supported HB 1187, which addresses confidentiality agreements involving sexual abuse and human trafficking. The committee amended that bill to address existing agreements before approving it. The committee also approved HB 1042 after reviewing a substitute and adopting an amendment clarifying payment language for property sales. All four bills passed by voice vote, with no numerical totals stated.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, uh, members of the committee. I come before you today with a committee substitute on House Bill 211, working off LC449006ORS. Uh, this is a piece of legislation that we have in this committee that's been sitting here for our consideration. There's been a lot of conversation as it relates to PFOS litigation. Uh, we have spent time in...
What groups specifically were dis- were involved in these discussions? I didn't consult with any groups. I base it just on what we've, uh, dealt with in the last, uh, year, year and a half as we've been debating this. I didn't specifically speak with any group. And given that this was on the table, and so obviously the members are just seeing it for the...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · February 5, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, February 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved five bills: HB 1121 on court-term dates in the Cordele Judicial Circuit, HB 948 on notices about surplus foreclosure proceeds, HB 979 on state jurisdiction over juvenile offenses at military installations, HB 545 on ordering appeal transcripts, and HB 1215 on adding a judge to the Middle Judicial Circuit. The committee also discussed a substitute for HB 1042, covering judicial privacy, special-master eligibility and foreclosure payments. Members questioned whether its payment changes would limit cash buyers or disadvantage smaller bidders. The chair deferred that bill until Monday to allow further work on the language. The five approvals were by voice vote, with no opposition heard.
Okay Do you like that? I like the rhythm to the pace of it. . It's great. All right. Representative Jones, you wanna come up? Yes. All right. Ms. Jones, we're dealing with, uh, LC481506. Is that correct? Correct. All right. If you, uh, are ready, go ahead and tell us about your bill.
I will, I will be kind and, um, just, just take that, um, from Representative Kelly. Um, this bill is LC47-4934. This has to do with the Cordele district where I live. Um, Superior Court judges, um, in the Cordele Judicial Circuit, all the judges in the area sent me a letter saying, "Please change these dates or, or have this enacted." So basically, um, I...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 26, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 26, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee reviewed the Senate changes to HB 61, focusing on removing unauthorized occupants from property, hotel guests’ rights and clearing certain eviction records. Members disagreed over protections for families living in extended-stay hotels. The chair then proposed replacing the contents of SB 463 with the language under discussion, and a motion to approve that bill was seconded. Members requested clearer protections and testimony from housing advocates after hearing from the hotel industry. No amendment vote or final vote appears in the transcript. The chair recessed the meeting until 1 p.m. to prepare a substitute and allowed written testimony before then.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I... Kind of going to, you know, the posture we're in here, we are starting to debate language that is potentially gonna be offered as an amendment. Mm-hmm. I think procedurally, I would like to make a motion do pass on the underlying bill so that then we can get into the language of offering an amendment.
Do we know how long that particular tenant had been staying in that extended stay hotel? I do not. Uh, do you have an opinion yourself as to how long a family living in a hotel room for an extended stay should be there, whereupon they then would be granted some form of tenant rights as thought through- Yes ... in this case by Justice Pinon? So I'll say...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · January 27, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, January 27, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The House Judiciary Committee approved five measures: HB 999, allowing additional magistrate court fees through local legislation and correcting an election-law provision; HR 251, proposing a constitutional amendment for nonpartisan probate judge elections; HB 557, adding a sixth superior court judge in the Northeastern Judicial Circuit; HB 960, adding a twelfth superior court judge in Gwinnett; and HB 676, imposing a penalty for knowingly filing an unauthorized mechanic’s lien. The committee considered a substitute for HB 557 that moved dates back one year. All five measures passed by voice vote, with no opposition heard.
Thank you. All right. Last but not least, we've got, um, House Bill 676, Representative Clifton. Thank you, sir, members of the committee. Um, I'll be brief, as this bill ha- was passed through the committee last year. Um, I was a little late dropping it and did not have enough time to get it, uh, all the way through, but, uh, excited for this bill. This is...
Thank you. Any further questions? All right. No further questions. Do we have a motion? Move to pass. We have a, a motion by the majority leader to pass. Uh, we have a second by, uh, Representative Scoggins. Uh, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. All right, the bill does pass. Thank you, sir. Thank y'all.
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 19, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 19, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved SB 406 with changes to owners’ association rules, including notice requirements drawn from HB 1221, longer foreclosure notice and clearer financial-record requirements. The committee also approved SB 542, which the sponsor said would address sexual exploitation by clergy. After hearing from survivors, advocates and other witnesses, members revised the clergy definition and extended the time allowed to bring charges. Both measures passed by voice vote with no opposition heard. The committee discussed a revised SB 403 concerning unclaimed property, cryptocurrency and returning money to owners. Members questioned its implementation and provisions ending some owners’ claims. No member moved to advance it, and the chair declared that it failed.
Yeah ... by the HOA. And I would move that. His mic. Oh, I'm sorry. You're on.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would recommend also that we include the substance of lines one through six of that, uh, bill, uh, to incorporate it into the title of this bill. And with the committee's permission, uh, I can, I can do that in the substitute, but it would capture the substance of this title and add it to the title of the, of SB 406. I move what...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · February 19, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, February 19, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved HB 1028, which would restructure district attorney pay, by a 6-5 vote after adopting an amendment to also cap local supplements for circuit public defenders. Members rejected a separate amendment that would have delayed the changes until state-funded district attorney salaries rose at least 50%. The committee also approved HB 1042, addressing access to judges’ protected information for real estate transactions, and HB 1021, increasing the amount the court clerks’ authority may retain for administrative expenses. Members discussed HR 1023, a proposed constitutional amendment on parental rights, but took no vote. The sponsor requested help revising its child-protection language, and the chair discussed returning to it Monday.
And so I just don't want us to make that policy decision to stop local supplements unless and until we put up money. I would rather move this to not pass, but I, but I can read the room, and I don't think that's gonna happen. Okay. And my... I was thinking in terms of your intent, and again, I'm not gonna a- at all try to read your mind, it just felt as if...
Um- How many APDs do you have? How many assistant positions do I have? Or how many assistants are filling them right now? How many assistants do you have? Um, I think the total number of assistants is 11. Um, however, we're not there. Um, I struggle to recruit. Uh, my husband is actually the dean for career planning at UGA Law, and he tells me that no one...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 17, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 17, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee held hearings on SB 406, concerning homeowners and condominium associations, and SB 463, concerning large investors’ ownership of single-family homes. On SB 406, members and witnesses discussed state registration, access to records, a lower-cost complaint process and foreclosure protections. The chair requested a revised version rather than voting on individual amendments. On SB 463, supporters described competition between investors and homebuyers, while opponents raised concerns about rental supply, construction financing and legal challenges. Members requested proposed changes and clarification of exceptions. Neither bill received a vote. The chair expected both to return Thursday, with additional testimony planned for SB 463.
Yes. Yes. Okay. Um, to the author of the bill, uh- Yes, sir ... of course, with the testimony we've heard today, there's, uh, a, a real need for what you've got here. Yes, sir. Uh, but I don't think it's quite complete. And- I agree ... if you, uh, if you agree, then okay. Um, I, what I'd like to do is just make this hearing only today In the meantime, work...
And you've got Senate Bill 406, and let me get the LC on it. 443527S, is that correct? Yes, sir. That's the committee sub I submitted yesterday. All right. Okay. Tell us about your bill. All right. So the HOA, uh, bill, um, many of y'all may or may not have heard from people that have had issues. Uh, I've heard from many. Um, and so as I heard from them,...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 16, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 16, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee advanced SB 552, concerning students’ political expression and access to school facilities, after rejecting an amendment allowing excused absences for civic or political events. It held a hearing on SB 403, which would simplify unclaimed-property payments and allow the state to permanently take ownership of some unclaimed funds. Members questioned cryptocurrency provisions, protections for creditors and property owners, and the proposed deadlines for claims. The chair held that bill for further consideration and said it would return Thursday. The committee also approved a substitute for SB 570, requiring human-trafficking awareness training for frontline workers in hotels, motels and short-term rentals. Both approved bills were sent to Rules.
Okay. All right. Thank you. Great. Thank you.
Thank you. Representative Westbrook, you wave? Okay. All right, that's all the questions. Um, do I hear a motion? Move the pass on the committee substitute to SB 570 LC492811S. Second. All right, got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Any other amendments, or any amendments? Put it that way. Hearing none, all those in favor of the bill say aye....
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 26, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 26, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee resumed consideration of SB 463 and approved a substitute dealing with hotel guests and long-term stays. Members rejected five amendments addressing eviction records, notice and opportunities to resolve contract violations, law enforcement involvement, restoration of the Senate-passed text, and tenant status for long-term hotel residents. The chair confirmed that written testimony had been received. A member noted that people who returned to the meeting had no opportunity to testify. The substitute passed by a show of hands, with no vote count announced, and the committee adjourned.
Oh, wait. I'm sorry. That's actually not true. Hold that thought. Delete lines 148 to 150, because that would, if we left that in, it would undermine what we're, what I'm proposing that we add in on the ability to cure. So basically, everything on your sheet except for the delete lines 133 to 139, and I would move that as an amendment. Second. All right. I...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 25, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 25, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee considered a motion to take HB 183 off the table. A member asked what procedural options remained for the bill at this point in the session. The chair said the committee first needed to take it off the table before discussing it. After an initial voice vote, the chair called for a show of hands. The transcript does not state the result, and the meeting adjourned without substantive discussion of the bill.
All right, I'm gonna call the meeting to order. Um, do I hear a motion to pull from the table House Bill 183? Moved. Second. All right, motion and a second. All those in favor say, "Aye." Aye. Aye. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Chair. If I may? Go ahead. Parliamentary inquiry. Um, we're all... Procedurally, I'm trying to understand where 183 could go at this...
Narrow the results
Counts are of the documents this search found.