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Found 108 matching documents.
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.
Soon as you get to the building, your phone is put away." And they can still do that. Thank you, senator. Yes, sir. Got one more question. So recognize senator from the 4th. Senator, yield? To my esteemed chairman, I absolutely do. Thank you, sir. Um, senator, are you aware that, um, Georgia Southern University College of Education did a study back latter...
I've had a sc- one of my largest school districts took last year's legislation, and they banned the phones throughout the district, and the results, while talking to teachers, was astounding. She said that the students seemed happier. They communicated more with each other. They participated more in class. I think giving them the opportunity to not have...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House of Representatives · February 24, 2026
House floor session, February 24, 2026 (legislative day 23)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The House focused on education, passing HB 1193 to expand early reading instruction and support, HB 372 to extend a retired-teacher return program, and HB 1123 to expand access to pre-K after-school care. Members also passed HB 1009 to restrict personal electronic devices in high schools and HB 1023 to require school weapons detection systems, after debate about costs, local control and school safety. Other measures passed would expand career academy access, provide grants to student teachers and allow unused HOPE scholarship eligibility toward graduate or professional study. The House heard bill readings and committee reports, adopted recognition resolutions, postponed two resolutions to the next legislative day and reassigned HB 1377 to Transportation. The House adjourned until February 25 at 10 a.m.
Mr. Clerk, will you read the caption to House Bill 1009? 1-0-0-9. House Bill 1009 by Representative Hilton of the 48th and others to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 2, Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated rela- relating to elementary and secondary education so as to require local school systems and public schools to enact policies and...
Nationwide, 40 states now have a statewide cell phone policy, with more than half of those a best practice of bell-to-bell approach. Georgia's the only state out of all 40 that actually stop at K through 8. We do understand high school differs from K through 8, which is why we have exclusions for dual enrollment, work-based learning, and apprenticeships....
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Education Committee · February 5, 2026
House Education Committee, February 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved five bills: HB 971 on cross-district access to college and career academies for homeschool and private school students; HB 383 on protections for student athletes' endorsement contracts; HB 1009 on restricting high school students' personal electronic devices during the school day; HB 1023 on weapons detection systems in public schools; and HB 907 on access to completion schools. Members adopted two amendments to HB 383 and approved substitutes for HB 1023 and HB 907. Discussion included school funding, financial protections for young athletes, device-policy enforcement, weapons detection costs and staffing, and instruction at completion schools. Opposition was heard on the voice vote for HB 1023. No numerical vote totals were announced.
And like I said, many high schools around our state, nearly half of them have already done some form of this. Um, thank you to the chairman and, and many others. You'll note on line 54 through 56, we do realize high school students, uh, have different responsibilities. We offer different opportunities for them. Uh, and so we made sure to exclude dual...
Uh, they've studied both schools that have it currently in place, and they also surveyed teachers, "Hey, what do, what do y'all wanna see?" Uh, and, and I thought the results were just amazing. Um, 80%... 87% of teachers, and this is a huge survey put on by Georgia Southern, said personal devices are a major source of distraction in their classrooms, 87% of...
Meeting transcript · Georgia Senate Children and Families Committee · March 17, 2026
Senate Children and Families Committee, March 17, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee advanced three bills: HB 181, allowing certain internationally adoptive families to obtain a Georgia Certificate of Foreign Birth without another court process; HB 1118, adding three weeks of maternal birth leave for eligible state employees and teachers; and HB 1009, extending school-day restrictions on personal electronic devices to high school students. The committee unanimously approved a substitute for HB 181 and approved HB 1118 with no opposition heard. After testimony from a student, education groups, a policy organization and the state school superintendent, the committee unanimously approved HB 1009.
That's pretty good. Thank you, Madam Chair, for, for letting me address yet another bill. We've had a lot of good bills in here today, so we appreciate it. Um, I wanna just share a little bit more about the survey that Representative Hilton mentioned from Georgia Southern. We worked with Georgia Southern on that survey. Um, they, they were, they surveyed...
So again, thank you all for considering this bill. Thank you to Representative Hilton for carrying both Hou- House Bill 340 and House Bill 1099, and PAGE is in strong support of this legislation. Thank you. Thank you very much. Tripp Richardson. Good afternoon, Madam Chair, members of the committee. My name is Tripp Richardson with the Frontline Policy...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Rules Committee · February 9, 2026
House Rules Committee, February 9, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard bill presentations on education, courts, financial regulation, property, public safety and other topics. The longest discussion concerned HB 934, with questions about the effect of transferring securities regulation on an ongoing investigation, staffing and agency workloads. Members also questioned school weapons-detection costs and possible local court costs from accepting juvenile cases involving military installations. The committee placed six bills on the February 9 floor calendar and four measures on the February 10 calendar, with no opposition voiced. The other measures presented were not placed on either calendar during this meeting.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. I referred to House Bill 1009, which is at the bottom of page two, House Bill 1009. As many of you in this room know, last year we went cell phone-free in our classrooms K through 8. Back by popular demand, we are now expanding that to include high schools. Thank you, Jim. Whip, have a question. Jim, uh,...
Meeting transcript · Georgia Senate Education and Youth Committee · February 10, 2026
Senate Education and Youth Committee, February 10, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard a teacher recruitment and retention report prepared in response to SR 237, including recommendations on training, financial support, working conditions and school leadership. Members asked about transferring course credits, classroom phone restrictions, reducing teachers’ duties and recognizing prior teaching experience. No action was taken on the report. The committee also held a vote on SB 471, which would make permanent the parental opt-out requirement for school mask mandates, but the chair did not expressly announce the result. The committee unanimously approved a substitute for SB 369 establishing a dropout recovery charter school category and separate performance reporting.
... technical schools? ... plus two with nurses. That's already done. But the one that we're pressing for now is education. If, if a person, if they start with a TAP, the Teacher As a Professional, if they start in high school, they're gonna take several courses there. If it transfers up, maybe they go to a technical school, or maybe they go to a USG...
Mm-hmm. And so it's an issue. I can tell you, I have, I have twins. They've just graduated. They're in their first year of college. Their high school had already done it. Uh, now they didn't take it from them, but they had a process in place where they could not touch their phone, uh, during class time, and that helped a lot for them, I can tell you. Okay....
Meeting transcript · Georgia Senate Rules Committee · March 19, 2026
Senate Rules Committee, March 19, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard brief requests to schedule bills on education, taxes, health care, veterans, licensing and other subjects. Members unanimously approved a 16-measure floor calendar. In separate committee business, members unanimously approved a prison education study committee resolution, a resolution honoring Bangladeshi peacekeepers, and a substitute for HB 445 that added public water and sewer systems to a public utility definition. Members questioned trout-stream buffer changes in HB 485. The chair postponed action on that bill until the next day so legislative counsel and the original sponsor could help explain the changes.
That's right. Uh, House Bill 1009, which is the bottom of your second page, House Bill 1009 extends the cellphone-free bill that we passed last year through K through eight to include high school. Um, passed both committees unanimously, and, uh, it's just been a big win for our schools, and we'd like to keep it going. A lot of happy parents and teachers....
Bill or resolution · Georgia House of Representatives · January 16, 2026 · Passed
Education; enact policies and procedures for use of personal electronic devices at school and school sponsored events by students in grades nine through twelve; require local school systems
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): Georgia House Bill 1009 would extend the state's ban on student personal electronic device use during the school day to grades nine through twelve, starting no later than July 1, 2027, expanding a rule already applying to kindergarten through eighth grade.
House Bill 1009 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Hilton of the 48th, Jones of the 47th, Donatucci of the 105th, Reeves of the 99th, Silcox of the 53rd, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to require local school...
SECTION 1. Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-324.8, relating to use of personal electronic devices during school day by students, as follows: "20-2-324.8. (a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) 'Access' means viewing, holding,...
Supreme Court opinion · Supreme Court of Georgia · July 1, 2026
Miller v. State
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Supreme Court of Georgia vacated part of a DeKalb County man's murder conviction proceedings, ruling the trial judge used the wrong legal test when deciding whether police lied or recklessly misled magistrates in search warrant applications.
In Affidavit 3, Detective Kershaw also stated, “The same suspect vehicle can be seen parking approximately 1/10 of a mile near a Citgo at 2900 Evans Mill Road just prior to the 6/1[5]/19 incident and can be seen driving through the parking lot just prior to the 2/19/20 incident.” In its order, the trial court acknowledged that the State conceded at the...
(iv) March 2020 search of Chevy Impala (“Affidavit 4”), March 2020 search of clothing at the DeKalb County jail (“Affidavit 5”), April 2020 search of black Samsung (SM-A505U) (“Affidavit 6”), & April 2020 search of chrome Samsung (SM- G920T) (“Affidavit 7”) In Affidavits 4-7, Detective Williams included the same statement from Affidavit 1 stating that...
Meeting transcript · Georgia Senate Rules Committee · March 20, 2026
Senate Rules Committee, March 20, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved a substitute for HB 328 by a 7 to 5 vote after discussing removal of the scholarship tax credit program’s expiration date. Members then heard requests to schedule bills on education, taxes, courts, veterans, public safety and other subjects. The committee unanimously approved a 14-measure floor calendar, including HB 154, which a presenter said now seeks year-round Atlantic Standard Time, and HB 1009, concerning cellphone-free high school classrooms. After initially selecting HB 1077, members removed it from the calendar and unanimously returned it to the Rules Standing Committee for an unspecified correction. Members also unanimously returned HB 1129 to that committee.
Who's the- I was referring to the other Rules Chairman, but yeah. Oh. Yeah. Okay. Gotcha. All right. Okay. Never mind. I'll stick to the North Georgia. There. There we go. Um, thank you. House Bill 1009, midpage, page three, going cellphone-free in our classrooms. That's it. That's it. That's simple. That's straight. Simple. This is- 1009 ... 9 through 12....
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Education Committee · March 19, 2026
House Education Committee, March 19, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved a substitute version of SB 369, a charter-school package that included changes concerning completion schools and extracurricular participation. The chair removed SB 431 from the agenda for further work. The committee also heard SB 513, which would address chronic absenteeism through attendance review teams and restrictions on activities and access to new driver's licenses or permits. Members questioned whether those restrictions could discourage attendance or create administrative problems. A Department of Driver Services witness raised concerns about delays and documentation requirements. The chair made that bill hearing-only, with no vote, and asked members to work with the sponsor on revisions for Monday's meeting.
Thank you, ma'am. Let me do this, if I can, and thank you very much- Welcome ... for that information, uh, from DDS. Let me offer this, members, in, in light of your concern. Um, well, let's continue this talk. What I'm gonna do for the senator is we'll make this hearing only today in hopes that we can make the changes that we need to make so this bill can...
And, uh, you know, we, we had a study committee last year as well. We came up with 14 or 15 different items, uh, on that study committee. These were the top three or four that we kind of pulled out that we felt like that made a lot of sense. And one of the things we wanted to make sure of is that we weren't, um, really kind of overseeing this from the state...
Amendment · Georgia State Senate · September 25, 2026
Sen Floor Amend 1 AM 49 0318 to HB 1009
LOST Senator Kemp of the 38th offered the following amendment #1: Amend HB 1009 (LC 49 2527) by replacing lines 18 through 21 with the following: (2) 'Bell-to-bell' means the period beginning with the first bell signaling the start of instructional time and ending with the final bell signaling the conclusion of the school day and shall include all scheduled...
Meeting transcript · Georgia Senate Children and Families Committee · February 17, 2026
Senate Children and Families Committee, February 17, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee held a hearing on SB 467, which the sponsor described as requiring age checks and parental consent for minors downloading smartphone apps or making in-app purchases. Supporters said it would give parents more control and clearer information. Opponents raised concerns about privacy, access to lawful information, costs for small developers and whether the proposal would address harmful content inside apps. Members questioned how parental consent would affect platform responsibility and why technology companies opposed the requirements. The sponsor invited suggestions for addressing concerns. The committee adjourned without voting.
Uh, it- somebody pointed out all of these companies, I'm just gonna call them high-tech companies, are gathering this data already anyway. They've got our data. Uh, they're, they're getting that when you use their apps and, and, and their products, and the question is, are they disseminating or not? This bill prohibits them from disclosing it to other...
Welcome to the Children and Families Committee. Sorry we're running a bit late. Our session ran over, and we have a couple of people that are on the way. Uh, but because this bill is a hearing only, we don't need a quorum to get started. So we've got a whole bunch of people that wanna speak to the bill, uh, on Zoom and live. So with that, um, Senator Payne,...
Supreme Court opinion · Supreme Court of Georgia · February 17, 2026
Bradford v. State
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Fulton County man's felony murder and gang convictions, rejecting claims of insufficient evidence and ineffective trial counsel, but sharply criticized the 13-year delay in resolving his post-conviction motions.
(a) Trial counsel was not deficient for failing to seek suppression of text messages to and from Bradford’s phone. Bradford argues that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to move to suppress the text messages to and from his phone because, although the State secured a court order to obtain those text messages from Metro PCS, there is no indication...
Bradford’s claim fails. Shortly after Bradford’s trial in August 2012, we held, as a matter of first impression, that defendants generally had no reasonable expectation of privacy in their cell phone records and therefore lacked standing to raise a Fourth Amendment challenge to the disclosure of the records and that the suppression of evidence was not an...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Rules Committee · March 4, 2026
House Rules Committee, March 4, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard requests to bring bills to the House floor on education, healthcare, taxes, public safety, local government and other subjects. Members questioned proposals on firearm rules, access to death recordings, district attorney pay, foreign funding disclosures and transit tax votes. The committee approved a substitute for HB 1138 restoring earlier language. It sent HB 947 back to Agriculture and Consumer Affairs and HB 490 back to Economic Development and Tourism. A motion to send HB 1386 back to committee failed. The committee then placed 14 bills on the day's floor calendar, including HB 1138 with the approved substitute. Members also questioned differences in how requests for changes were handled. The chair said the approaching legislative deadline limited time to return every proposed change to committee.
Um, this is just requiring all the schools, if they don't already have a safety program, um, for lock boxes, they're required to put lock boxes in there with a key or a key fob. If they have the electronic doors that open with a keypad or something, then they're fine. It's just, uh, requiring them to do that. Okay. I don't see any questions on that one...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House of Representatives · January 16, 2026
House floor session, January 16, 2026 (legislative day 5)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The House read newly introduced bills and referred them to committees, completed second readings, and received a favorable committee report on HR 1008. Members honored a late Georgia Poultry Federation leader through HR 1013 and adopted a group of commemorative resolutions without objection. The House also agreed without objection to move HB 590, concerning trailer manufacturers, from the Regulated Industries Committee to the Motor Vehicles Committee. No vote on the substance of a policy bill appears in the transcript. Members announced upcoming budget hearings, and the House adjourned until January 26, 2026, at 10 a.m.
Thank you. Chairman Jaspers, recognized for an announcement. Thank you, members. After you go to your Appropriations meeting on Tuesday, Tuesday afternoon, the grocers and everyone involved in the food industry will be in the blue room. They'd love to see you, have refreshments, all that good stuff, but that's Kathy Cassava and Kevin Perry, who are friends...
Members, I'm going to remind you again, check your cell phones. Make sure you don't have an extra one by accident. If you do, it's, it's Representative Bazemore's, so please check, members. Second readies, reading of bills and resolutions, the clerk will read.
Amendment · Georgia State Senate · September 25, 2026
Sen Floor Amend 1 AM 49 0259 to HB 340
LOST Senators Islam Parkes of the 7th and Jones II of the 22nd offered the following amendment #1: Amend HB 340 (LC 49 2284S) by replacing lines 93 through 95 with the following: (g) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed or applied to: (1) Prohibit or limit a local school system or public school from providing school equipment, including, but not...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Education Committee · March 23, 2026
House Education Committee, March 23, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved seven bills covering school finances, enrollment, instruction, teacher recruitment and attendance. Members advanced SB 472 on financial oversight, SB 589 on parents’ enrollment choices, SB 515 on teacher tax credits, SB 425 on cursive instruction and school safety, and SB 431 on foster students’ enrollment. The committee approved SB 475 on local charter school facility funding by an 11 to 5 vote. Members added a requirement to print the 988 crisis number on student identification badges to SB 589. After debate over attendance penalties and students’ transportation needs, members amended SB 513 to exempt students enrolled in completion special schools, then approved it. Other approvals were by voice vote, without numerical totals.
Um, so I'm, I'm not sure, but I certainly wanna make sure we protect those students that we've just made a way to come back to school given completion schools all around the state, um, and I don't want them to be affected by not being able to drive, go to work, and be online to go to school. Be, be thinking that. If we get a motion and a second, we can...
Thank you, Chairman. I'd like to make a motion, do pass, uh, SB 589 LC 395111S. Second. We got a motion and a second. Number 25. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make an amendment. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Uh, I've spoken with the bill sponsor, uh, and also with you. You should have with you at your desk right now AM 610034. Mr. Walker, if you could keep me...
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.
And then a third provision was added and if a school has student ID badges on the back, they will put 988, you are not alone, and this is a, a number that these kids can text or call if they're experiencing suicidal crisis, emotional distress, or challenges with substance abuse. I'll yield for questions. You do have a question. Recognize the senator from...
Thanks, Mr. President. I yield the well. Is there any other senator who wish to speak for or against it? Hearing none. All those in favor of senator's motion to agree will vote yay. All opposed nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. Senator from the 1st, what purpose do you rise? Uh, parliamentary tr- State your inquiry. Parliamentary inquiry. Yeah, I think...
Bill or resolution · Georgia House of Representatives · January 27, 2026 · Engrossed
You Are Not Alone Awareness Act; enact
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): House Bill 1045 would require Georgia public schools that issue ID badges to students in grades six through 12 to print the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis hotline number on those badges starting July 1, 2026.
SECTION 2. Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to student health in elementary and secondary education, is amended by enacting a new Code section to read as follows: "20-2-779.5. Each local school system or public school that issues student identification badges to students in any of grades six...
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