Senate first readers, 2026 January 28

SENATE FIRST READERS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026
EIGHTH LEGISLATIVE DAY

SB 422.

By Senators Bearden of the 30th, Watson of the 11th, Williams of the 25th, Echols of the 49th, Hickman of the 4th and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, so as to provide that the date of most municipal elections shall be in evennumbered years; to provide a one-year extension to the terms of office of most municipal officers for the transition of municipalities to evennumbered year election cycles; to provide that such extended terms of office shall not apply to certain municipal officers elected to two-year terms of office; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Ethics Committee.

SB 423.

By Senators Bearden of the 30th, Watson of the 11th, Williams of the 25th, Echols of the 49th, Hickman of the 4th and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to government transparency and campaign finance, so as to prohibit candidates, campaign committees, independent committees, political action committees, and leadership committees from accepting contributions or donations from non-Georgia persons that exceed 50 percent of all contributions received; to provide definitions; to provide for the return of such excess contributions; to provide for the escheatment of excess contributions that are not returned; to provide for exceptions; to provide for injunctive relief; to prohibit and provide penalties for strawman transactions seeking to avoid the contribution cap provided herein; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Ethics Committee.

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SB 424.

By Senators Harbin of the 16th, Anavitarte of the 31st, Summers of the 13th, Brass of the 6th, Burns of the 23rd and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5A of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Office of State Treasurer, so as to provide for gold and silver specie as legal tender; to provide for a bullion depository; to provide for an electronic payment system; to provide for guidelines, rules and regulations; to provide for insured deposits; to prohibit social credit scoring systems; to provide for annual reports; to prohibit taxation of transactions involving gold and silver specie and legal tender; to provide for an implementation date; to provide for construction; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for definitions; to provide for a short title; to provide for an effective date; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Banking and Financial Institutions Committee.

SB 425.

By Senators Harbin of the 16th, Summers of the 13th, Burns of the 23rd, Dickerson of the 21st, Hickman of the 4th and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to competencies and core curriculum, so as to require all schools that receive state funding with students in any of grades three through five to provide instruction in cursive handwriting to all students by no later than third grade; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Education and Youth Committee.

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SB 426.

By Senators Harbin of the 16th, Summers of the 13th, Burns of the 23rd, Dickerson of the 21st, Hickman of the 4th and others:

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 high school students seeking a high school diploma and individuals seeking a state approved high school equivalency (HSE) diploma to achieve a minimum score of 70 percent on the United States Citizenship Civics Test for the purpose of being eligible to receive a high school diploma or a state approved high school equivalency (HSE) diploma; to provide for multiple attempts; to provide for certification of scores; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for applicability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Education and Youth Committee.

SB 427.

By Senators Watson of the 1st, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Jackson of the 41st, Anavitarte of the 31st and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to medical practice relative to physicians, so as to provide for limited provisional licenses and a pathway to licensure for certain internationally trained physicians; to provide for definitions; to provide for qualifications and conditions; to provide for penalties, license sanctions, and enforcement; to provide for one or more medical directors; to provide for annual reports; to provide for rules, regulations and procedures; to provide for conditional automatic repeal; to provide for related matters; to provide for a contingent effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

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SB 428.

By Senators Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Hatchett of the 50th, Watson of the 1st, Echols of the 49th and Jackson of the 41st:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 7 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to medical assistance generally, so as to direct the Department of Community Health to submit a waiver request to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to authorize the qualification for Medicaid reimbursement of certain home and community based services; to provide for implementation upon approval; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

SB 429.

By Senators Dickerson of the 21st, Walker III of the 20th, Harbison of the 15th, Anavitarte of the 31st, McLaurin of the 14th and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to landlord and tenant in general, so as to limit the monthly income requirement for disabled veterans to qualify as tenants; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee.

SR 599. By Senator Rhett of the 33rd:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending the City of Austell; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 600. By Senator Rhett of the 33rd:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending the Mayor and City Council of the City of Mableton; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

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SR 601. By Senator Rhett of the 33rd:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending the City of Powder Springs; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 602. By Senators Bearden of the 30th and Brass of the 6th:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending Joann Herrell; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 603. By Senators Bearden of the 30th and Brass of the 6th:

A RESOLUTION honoring the life and memory of Mary Sprayberry Hatcher Boggs; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 604.

By Senators Bearden of the 30th, Brass of the 6th and Anavitarte of the 31st:

A RESOLUTION honoring the life and memory of James Edwin Busbin; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 605.

By Senators McLaurin of the 14th, Jones II of the 22nd, Jackson of the 41st, Mallow of the 2nd, Harbison of the 15th and others:

A RESOLUTION condemning the killing of Alex Pretti and protecting the constitutional rights of peaceful assembly and the right to keep and bear arms; and for other purposes.

Referred to Public Safety Committee.

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SR 606.

By Senators Still of the 48th, Dixon of the 45th, Cowsert of the 46th, Rahman of the 5th, Merritt of the 9th and others:

A RESOLUTION recognizing January 27, 2026, as Gwinnett Chamber Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 607.

By Senators Albers of the 56th, Robertson of the 29th, Payne of the 54th, Bearden of the 30th, Gooch of the 51st and others:

A RESOLUTION honoring and commending the firefighters of Georgia and recognizing February 3, 2026, as Firefighters Recognition Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 608.

By Senators Hufstetler of the 52nd, Harbison of the 15th, Lucas of the 26th, James of the 28th and Orrock of the 36th:

A RESOLUTION honoring the life and memory of Richard Otis Marable; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 609.

By Senators Hufstetler of the 52nd, Watson of the 1st, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, James of the 28th and Orrock of the 36th:

A RESOLUTION recognizing January 25-31, 2026, as Physician Anesthesiologists Week in Georgia at the state capitol; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

SR 610.

By Senators Hatchett of the 50th, Brass of the 6th, Robertson of the 29th and Strickland of the 42nd:

A RESOLUTION creating the Senate Study Committee on Improving and Increasing Recycling; and for other purposes.

Referred to Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.

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SR 611.

By Senators Walker III of the 20th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Watson of the 1st, Cowsert of the 46th and Albers of the 56th:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending the Georgia Association of Community Care Providers; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 612.

By Senators Wicks of the 34th, Davenport of the 17th, Harrell of the 40th, James of the 28th and Parent of the 44th:

A RESOLUTION congratulating and commending Gail B. Hambrick for receiving the 2026 Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leadership Award; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 613.

By Senators Wicks of the 34th, Davenport of the 17th, Harrell of the 40th, James of the 28th and Parent of the 44th:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending Gail B. Hambrick; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 614.

By Senators Wicks of the 34th, Davenport of the 17th and Parent of the 44th:

A RESOLUTION commending the Clayton County Government and Clayton County Chamber of Commerce, and recognizing February 5, 2026, as Clayton County Day at the State Capitol; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 615.

By Senators Wicks of the 34th, Jones II of the 22nd, Rhett of the 33rd, Harbison of the 15th, Jones of the 10th and others:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending Dr. Jackson Drumgoole II; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

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SR 616. By Senators Wicks of the 34th and Harbin of the 16th:

A RESOLUTION recognizing February 10, 2026, as Fayette Chamber Day at the Capitol in conjunction with the Fayette Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Fayette program; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 617.

By Senators Wicks of the 34th, Kemp of the 38th, James of the 28th, Howard of the 35th and Jones II of the 22nd:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending Evan Oglesby; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 618.

By Senators Wicks of the 34th, Kemp of the 38th, James of the 28th, Howard of the 35th and Jones II of the 22nd:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending Orson Charles; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 619.

By Senators Wicks of the 34th, Harrell of the 40th, Harbin of the 16th, James of the 28th and Parent of the 44th:

A RESOLUTION congratulating and commending Niki Vanderslice for receiving the 2026 Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leadership Award; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 620.

By Senators Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Albers of the 56th, Rhett of the 33rd, Howard of the 35th, Setzler of the 37th and others:

A RESOLUTION commending Leadership Cobb and the Leadership Cobb Class of 2026; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

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SR 621.

By Senators Watson of the 1st, Brass of the 6th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Harrell of the 40th, Echols of the 49th and others:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending Ronald 'Ron' F. Wakefield for his outstanding public service with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 622.

By Senators Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Hatchett of the 50th, Parent of the 44th, Payne of the 54th, Brass of the 6th and others:

A RESOLUTION creating the Joint Study Committee on Evaluating Escalating Costs in Georgia's Foster Care System; and for other purposes.

Referred to Children and Families Committee.

SR 623.

By Senators Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Albers of the 56th and Setzler of the 37th:

A RESOLUTION recognizing the 25th Anniversary of the Captain John Collins Chapter of the Georgia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

SR 624.

By Senators Setzler of the 37th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Howard of the 35th, Rhett of the 33rd and Albers of the 56th:

A RESOLUTION honoring the life of Officer Drew Haynes Brown and dedicating an intersection in his memory; and for other purposes.

Referred to Transportation Committee.

SR 625.

By Senators Anderson of the 43rd, Howard of the 35th, Wicks of the 34th, Kemp of the 38th, Davenport of the 17th and others:

A RESOLUTION celebrating the love, legacy and leadership of the 70th Platinum Wedding Anniversary of Mr. Samuel C. and Mrs. Emma L. Peterson; and for other purposes.

Read and Adopted.

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