On March 18, 2025, the following Georgia State Senate committees met to discuss bills to potentially advance:
- Children and Families voted on HB 253, HB 433, and HB 340
- Public Community and Health voted on SB 233 and heard SB 30
- Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications voted on SB 13
- State Institutions and Properties voted on HB 254 and HB 303
- Regulated Industries and Utilities voted on HB 579 and HB 232 and heard HB 314, HB 54, and HB 185
- Government Oversight voted on HB 113 and HB 485
Select the associated links to read each bill in full.
Children and Families
HB 253
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), imposes limitations on ordering children into family reunification programs, specifically prohibiting programs that employ coercion, forced separation, or the use of private transporters to remove children from their homes.
The bill passed committee.
HB 433
This bill would authorize the Department of Human Services to access the restricted criminal history records of the Georgia Crime Information Center. This will allow the DHS to verify the eligibility of prospective or existing foster parents or other adults in their home and to verify the eligibility of its own prospective or existing employees and contractors. Currently, certain information such as arrest records are legally unavailable to DFCS.
The bill passed committee.
HB 340
This bill—the Distraction Free Education Act—would require public schools to forbid children in kindergarten through 8th grade from accessing personal electronic devices during the school day, to establish appropriate storage of devices, to establish procedures for off-site activities, and to establish progressive consequences for violation. Children with an Individualized Education Program or medical plan that mandates the use of a device are exempt.
The bill passed committee.
Public Community and Health
SB 233
This bill takes the Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission from 24 to 30 members and gives the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House each two extra picks with specific requirements. The commission will incorporate individuals with lived experience in addiction recovery, parents of individuals with disabilities, and leaders from relevant advocacy organizations; it has an end date of December 1, 2026.
The bill passed committee.
SB 30
This bill would prohibit the prescribing or administering of certain hormone therapies and puberty-blocking medications for certain purposes to minors. The purpose in this case is for the treatment of gender dysphoria. The bill prevents this treatment for children with gender dysphoria and puts children with other medical needs at risk should they require hormonal medication.
The bill will return to committee for further discussion.
Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications
SB 13
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), would allow the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) to offer low-interest loans to municipalities for expanding natural gas distribution similar to what has been offered for water and wastewater systems. This change is driven by the need to keep up with demand for natural gas.
The bill passed committee.
State Institutions and Properties
HB 254
This bill seeks to put a bronze marker on the Capitol grounds; this marker was donated by a group called The America 250 and commemorates the United States 250th birthday for the original 13 colonies. There is no cost to the state.
The bill passed committee.
HB 303
This bill seeks to pay tribute to 33 Americans who decided to run for office in 1868; 14 of them were lynched. This bill would construct a memorial with the names in a template in the Georgia State Capitol. There is currently a monument on the grounds, but it does not accurately depict the situation and does not have the names.
The bill passed committee.
Regulated Industries and Utilities
HB 314
The bill aims to revise and update definitions related to athletic trainers, eliminate obsolete provisions, and modify certain requirements to enhance the clarity and effectiveness of regulations governing athletic trainers in Georgia. The bill also seeks to update definitions pertinent to the practice of athletic training, ensuring they accurately reflect current practices and standards.
The bill was tabled.
HB 579
The bill aims to provide cooperation between the Board of Regents and technical colleges to make acquiring transcripts easier and faster. HB 579 introduces a 45-day grace period for license renewals, offering professionals additional time to renew their licenses without facing penalties. The bill also seeks to standardize the validity period of licenses, extending them up to two years to streamline the renewal process and provide greater consistency across various licensing categories.
The bill passed committee.
HB 54
This bill will allow physicians assistants (PAs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to order home health services for people with chronic conditions or disabilities and for individuals who need short-term nursing or rehabilitation services. The bill also requires certain PAs and APRNs to complete continuing education on recognizing and documented causes of death.
The bill will return to committee at a later date.
HB 185
This bill creates a Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians and Licensed Nutritionists to oversee the licensure and regulation of dieticians and nutritionists. Applicants must hold a master’s or doctoral degree from an accredited program, complete at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice, and pass a national examination. Existing licensed dietitians who applied before July 1, 2025, can retain their licenses if they remain in good standing.
Additionally, the bill seeks to add Georgia to an interstate compact that will allow dietitians licensed in participating states to practice in Georgia without obtaining additional state-specific licenses.
Only licensed dietitians and nutritionists shall engage in medical nutrition therapy for the treatment of chronic disease.
The bill will return to committee at a later date.
HB 232
This bill seeks to enter Georgia into the Interstate Massage Compact, an agreement among member states to recognize each other’s massage therapy licenses, thereby allowing licensed massage therapists to practice in other compact member states without obtaining additional licenses. The Georgia Board of Massage Therapy will be responsible for administering the compact within the state, ensuring compliance with its provisions, and providing compact privilege to eligible practitioners.
The bill passed committee.
Government Oversight
HB 113
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), aims to increase the security of the state-purchasing process, ensuring the protection of the state’s infrastructure and citizens from growing cyber threats. The bill prohibits state agencies from purchasing or contracting with foreign adversaries to prevent Georgia from inadvertently introducing cybersecurity threats to the state.
The bill passed committee.
HB 485
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), is the annual code cleanup bill. It removes language around defunct programs and updates program titles to match their new names.
The bill passed committee.
