First readers in House, 2025 February 21

FIRST READERS IN HOUSE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2025 TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATIVE DAY
*Rules Suspended
HB 538. By Representative Cheokas of the 151st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the assessment and collection of a technology fee by the Probate Court of Schley County; to identify the authorized uses of such technology fee; to provide for the termination of such technology fee and dedication of residual funds; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL
HB 539. By Representatives Reeves of the 99th, Efstration of the 104th, Clark of the 108th, Adeyina of the 110th, Okoye of the 102nd, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act to provide a homestead exemption of $4,000.00 from all county school district ad valorem taxation, except taxes levied to retire bonded indebtedness, which applies to the homestead of each resident of the Gwinnett County school district actually occupied by the owner as a residence and homestead, approved March 24, 1988 (Ga. L. 1988, p. 4199), so as to increase said homestead exemption to $10,000.00; to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements; to provide for a referendum, effective dates, and automatic repeal; to provide for mandatory execution of election and judicial remedies regarding failure to comply; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL
HB 540. By Representatives Reeves of the 99th, Martinez of the 111th, Efstration of the 104th, Clark of the 108th, Adeyina of the 110th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act to provide an additional homestead exemption from Gwinnett County school district ad valorem taxes for educational purposes in the amount of $2,000.00 of the assessed value of the homestead for residents of that school district who are certain public service employees, approved May 3, 2023 (Ga. L. 2023, p. 4346), so as to expand such exemption to disabled veterans and all employees of the Gwinnett County School District and the Buford City School District; to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements; to provide for a referendum,
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effective dates, and automatic repeal; to provide for mandatory execution of election and judicial remedies regarding failure to comply; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL
HB 541. By Representatives Dempsey of the 13th, Cooper of the 45th, Taylor of the 173rd, Prince of the 132nd, and Hawkins of the 27th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-3-411 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions regarding tuition equalization grants at private colleges and universities, so as to expand the definition of an approved school to include certain institutions which offer programs in nursing; to provide for related matters; to provide for legislative intent; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION
HB 542. By Representatives Berry of the 56th, Griffin of the 149th, Carter of the 93rd, Romman of the 97th, and Clark of the 108th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 2B of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to promise scholarship accounts, so as to require participating private schools to comply with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act and Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973; to require participating schools to implement participating students' IEPs and Section 504 plans; to provide for rules and policies requiring parents of participating students to provide complete copies of such plans to participating schools; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 543. By Representatives Berry of the 56th, McQueen of the 61st, Bell of the 75th, Dawson of the 65th, and Herring of the 145th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to education, so as to require testing of drinking water in child care learning centers and schools for lead contamination; to provide for notice and reporting of test results and remediation plans;
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to provide for definitions; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for an exemption; to prohibit waivers; to provide for related matters; to provide a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 544. By Representatives Berry of the 56th, Miller of the 62nd, Park of the 107th, Hugley of the 141st, Frye of the 122nd, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-310 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to student directory information, registering to vote and with selective service, and pledge of allegiance, so as to establish the Jimmy Carter Award for Civic Engagement; to provide for policies and procedures; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 545. By Representative Jones of the 60th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 5-6-42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to procedure for preparation and filing of transcript of evidence and proceedings where appellant designates matter to be omitted from record on appeal and extensions of time for completion of transcript, so as to provide for transcript requests; to provide a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
HB 546. By Representatives Kahaian of the 81st, Byrd of the 20th, Dunahoo of the 31st, Scoggins of the 14th, Gambill of the 15th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 15 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to miscellaneous provisions under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to require that local school systems offer certain exams to home study students; to provide for notice requirements; to prohibit additional fees or requirements; to provide a definition; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
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HB 547. By Representatives Cannon of the 172nd, Dickey of the 134th, Corbett of the 174th, Meeks of the 178th, Huddleston of the 72nd, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 48-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to preferential assessment for bona fide conservation use property and bona fide residential transitional property, so as to permit the combination of multiple covenants of a single owner into a single, new, ten-year covenant; to provide for exceptions; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS
HB 548. By Representatives Greene of the 154th, Yearta of the 152nd, Cheokas of the 151st, and Sampson of the 153rd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating the Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority, approved March 30, (Ga. L. 1977, p. 4220), as amended, particularly by an Act approved May 4, 2017 (Ga. L. 2017, p. 3954), so as to restate the law governing the authority; provide a short title; to provide definitions; to provide for the existence and membership of the authority; to provide for officers; to provide for conflicts of interest; to provide for powers of the authority; to provide for revenue bonds; to provide for rules, regulations, and other procedures; to provide for immunity; to provide for tax exemptions; to provide that authority property is not subject to levy and sale; to provide for the Act's effect on other governments; to provide for earnings and dissolution; to provide for construction; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL
HB 549. By Representatives Seabaugh of the 34th, McDonald III of the 26th, McCollum of the 30th, Lumsden of the 12th, Hitchens of the 161st, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 35-8-22 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to reimbursement of training expenses by subsequent employer of peace officer, collection procedure, and required documentation, so as to extend the time frame for which reimbursement of total training expenses by a subsequent employer of a peace officer may be sought; to provide for types of training eligible for reimbursement; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on PUBLIC SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY
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HB 550. By Representatives Bell of the 75th, Sainz of the 180th, Townsend of the 179th, Wilkerson of the 38th, and Stinson of the 150th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2B-23 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to requirements for participating schools, responsibilities of education savings authority, prohibited requirements, and agency not established, so as to require participating schools to prepare school safety plans that meet certain requirements; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 551. By Representatives Ridley of the 6th, Corbett of the 174th, Jasperse of the 11th, Mathis of the 133rd, and Jones of the 25th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 40 of the O.C.G.A., relating to motor vehicles and traffic, so as to provide for conditions, procedures, and limitations for issuance of temporary operating permits for motor vehicles; to amend Code Section 4347-8 of the O.C.G.A., relating to license applications for used motor vehicle dealers and used motor vehicle parts dealers, prerequisites, license fees, renewal, training or test, supplemental licenses, bonds, insurance, suspension for conviction or false statement, and meetings; to amend Code Section 48-5C-1 of the O.C.G.A., relating to alternative ad valorem tax on motor vehicles; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on MOTOR VEHICLES
HB 552. By Representatives Kahaian of the 81st, Byrd of the 20th, and Tran of the 80th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 15-11-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions relative to the juvenile code, so as to revise the definition of neglect; to amend Chapter 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes against the person, so as to provide for an exception to certain offenses of reckless conduct and child cruelty for parents and legal custodians permitting children to participate in independent activities under certain conditions; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings and intent; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY, JUVENILE
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HB 553. By Representative Stinson of the 150th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the assessment and collection of a technology fee by the Probate Court of Taylor County; to identify the authorized uses of such technology fee; to provide for the termination of such technology fee and dedication of residual funds; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL
HB 554. By Representatives Townsend of the 179th, Jones of the 25th, Erwin of the 32nd, Ballard of the 147th, Glaize of the 67th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the O.C.G.A., relating to health of students, so as to enact the "APEX Now Program"; to provide support for mental health services to students and school personnel experiencing incidents of violence, threats of violence, natural disasters, and other crisis situations; to provide for such program to be established within the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities; to provide for the development and promulgation of a mental health crisis plan; to provide for a 24 hour online and telephonic hotline; to provide for prospective parental consent; to provide for contracting for services; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 555. By Representatives McCollum of the 30th, Momtahan of the 17th, Gullett of the 19th, Efstration of the 104th, Frye of the 122nd, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 3 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to regulation of specialized land transactions, so as to prohibit business enterprises from owning an interest in more than 2,000 single-family residential properties or ten multifamily residential properties; to provide for the forfeiture of rental payments paid in connection with an unlawful lease of residential property; to provide a private cause of action for the return of rental payments paid in connection with an unlawful lease of residential property; to provide for the disclosure of information by brokers; to provide an effective date; to provide a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
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HB 556. By Representatives Cox of the 28th, Williams of the 148th, McDonald III of the 26th, Gunter of the 8th, and Powell of the 33rd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 52-7-8.3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to operation of watercraft, identification, and operation by minors, so as to provide for boat liveries and education courses; to provide for a penalty; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on GAME, FISH, & PARKS
HB 557. By Representatives Hawkins of the 27th, Cox of the 28th, Clark of the 100th, Dunahoo of the 31st, McCollum of the 30th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the number of judges of superior courts, so as to provide for a sixth judge of the superior courts of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit; to provide for the appointment of such additional judge by the Governor; to provide for an additional court reporter for such circuit; to authorize the governing authority of the counties comprising the Northeastern Judicial Circuit to provide facilities, office space, supplies, equipment, and personnel for such judges; to declare inherent authority; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
HB 558. By Representatives Gaines of the 120th, Dempsey of the 13th, and Newton of the 127th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 4 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to vocational, technical, and adult education, so as to authorize the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to establish the adult workforce high school diploma program; to provide for the selection of third-party providers to administer the program; to provide requirements for approved program providers; to provide for disbursement of funds to approved program providers; to provide for reporting; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION
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HB 561. By Representatives Taylor of the 173rd, Stephens of the 164th, Sainz of the 180th, Greene of the 154th, Buckner of the 137th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to surface mining, so as to prohibit the director of the Environmental Protection Division of the Natural Resources Department from issuing, modifying, or renewing any permit or accepting any bond to conduct surface mining operations on Trail Ridge for future permit applications and amendments; to provide a definition; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT
HB 562. By Representatives Taylor of the 173rd, Stephens of the 164th, Sainz of the 180th, Greene of the 154th, Buckner of the 137th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to surface mining, so as to provide for a five-year moratorium on the acceptance of applications for new permits and the acceptance of requests to modify existing permits by the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources to expand the area of land affected by surface mining operations on Trail Ridge; to provide a definition; to provide exemptions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT
HB 563. By Representatives Bennett of the 94th, Powell of the 33rd, Corbett of the 174th, Hugley of the 141st, Jones of the 143rd, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to prestige license plates and special plates for certain persons and vehicles, so as to authorize licensed physical therapists to certify an individual is disabled for purposes of obtaining special vehicle decals for persons with disabilities; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on MOTOR VEHICLES
HB 564. By Representatives Berry of the 56th, Glaize of the 67th, Crawford of the 89th, Santos of the 117th, and Sanchez of the 42nd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health of students, so as to provide that
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the Department of Education shall develop a mental health crisis plan to rapidly provide mental health services to students experiencing incidents of violence, threats of violence, natural disasters, or other crisis situations; to provide for a definition; to provide for the development and distribution of promotional materials, training programs, and curricula; to provide for the adoption of rules and regulations; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 565. By Representatives Townsend of the 179th, Franklin of the 160th, Leverett of the 123rd, Camp of the 135th, and Hilton of the 48th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to income tax imposition, rate, computation, exemptions, and credits, so as to increase the annual aggregate limit for tax credits available for qualified education donations; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS
*HB 576. By Representatives Williams of the 168th, Smith of the 18th, Lumsden of the 12th, Jackson of the 128th, and Hugley of the 141st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 2 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the "Fair Business Practices Act of 1975," so as to require that the processing of transactions initiated by users of peer-topeer payment platforms be delayed; to provide for the cancellation of such transactions during such delay period; to provide for penalties; to provide definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER AFFAIRS
HR 328. By Representatives Burnough of the 77th, Scott of the 76th, and Flournoy of the 74th: A RESOLUTION recognizing Chief Jeffrey E. Turner and dedicating a road in his honor; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on TRANSPORTATION
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SENATE FIRST READERS IN HOUSE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2025
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATIVE DAY
SB 96. By Senators Echols of the 49th, Hatchett of the 50th, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Payne of the 54th, Robertson of the 29th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend various titles of the O.C.G.A., so as to modernize and update provisions creating certain boards, panels, authorities, centers, commissions, committees, councils, task forces, and other such bodies; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on CODE REVISION
SB 98. By Senators Cowsert of the 46th, Strickland of the 42nd, Ginn of the 47th, Watson of the 1st, and Kirkpatrick of the 32nd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 29 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to guardian and ward, so as to provide for county conservators generally; to provide for respective rights and responsibilities of county conservators and county guardians; to provide that county administrators shall serve as ex officio county conservators; to make conforming changes; to revise and provide for definitions; to provide for the change of designation of county guardian to county conservator by operation of law under certain circumstances and subject to an exception; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY, JUVENILE
SB 102. By Senators Robertson of the 29th, Payne of the 54th, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Williams of the 25th, Albers of the 56th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to gambling, so as to revise provisions relative to dogfighting; to prohibit fighting of dogs and game cocks; to prohibit possession or sale of fighting related objects; to provide for punishment; to provide for definitions; to amend Code Section 4-8-27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to certificates of registration, requirements for issuance of certificate, individuals
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excluded from receiving registration, limitation of ownership, and annual renewal, so as to make conforming changes; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL
SB 138. By Senators Dixon of the 45th, Still of the 48th, Cowsert of the 46th, Setzler of the 37th, and Anavitarte of the 31st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 31 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to incorporation of municipal corporations, so as to provide for the transition of certain services related to newly incorporated municipalities in certain counties; to provide definitions; to amend Chapter 8 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to fees and taxes related to insurance, so as to revise provisions related to population data related to newly incorporated municipalities and municipal taxes on life insurance and other insurance companies; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION
SR 23. By Senators Cowsert of the 46th, Gooch of the 51st, Kennedy of the 18th, Albers of the 56th, Beach of the 21st, and others: A RESOLUTION applying to the United States Congress to call a convention under Article V of the Constitution of the United States limited to proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to set a limit on the number of terms that a person may be elected as a member of the United States House of Representatives and to set a limit on the number of terms that a person may be elected as a member of the United States Senate; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on RULES
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