On February 26, 2025, the following Georgia State Senate committees met to discuss bills to potentially advance:
- Economic Development and Tourism heard SB 37, SB 107, SB 108, and SB 167
- State and Local Governmental Operations voted on SB 151
- Finance Committee voted on SB 26 and heard SB 71
- Interstate Cooperation voted on SB 62 and HB 117
- Health and Human Services voted on SB 233 and SB 220
- Government Oversight voted on SB 117 and SB 170
Select the associated links to read each bill in full.
Economic Development and Tourism
SB 37
This bill defines artificial intelligence (AI) and requires state and local governments to put plans online to define how they will be using it. The bill also creates a Board of Artificial Intelligence, with appointments from the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker. This bill allows experts in the field to make recommendations to state and local governments. Local governments can publish on their own websites or they can use the GTA website, which will also provide templates.
The bill will return to committee at a later date.
SB 107
This bill provides for protections to members of community associations. Currently in GA, if you accumulate $2,000 worth of liens on your property, the community association can sell your house on the courthouse steps without notification. These liens can be due to fines or lack of payment of HOA fees, attorney fees, or late fees. Often, the HOA is the one buying the house. Some of these developments have had many homes bought by a management company that then acquires majority voting rights on the HOA, allowing them to enact exorbitant fines. The management companies are often foreign entities.
This bill would address many of these problems, but the committee feels that it needs to be strengthened and more detail be included.
The bill will be developed further and will return to committee at a later date.
SB 108
This bill deals with property owner associations and would require that the POA gives a receipt or a certificate of good standing when a payment is made to them. It also requires that they participate in alternative dispute resolution prior to placing a lien on properties.
The bill, along with SB 107, will be strengthened further and return for a vote.
SB 167
This bill puts a framework around the use of AI in its decision-making capacity in both government and commercial uses to prevent algorithmic discrimination. The consumer must be notified that the decision-making entity used AI in the process. The bill ensures businesses and developers are not implementing biases that would negatively affect consumers and applies to decision-making systems that affect employment, education, financial services, and healthcare. This bill requires the people developing these AI systems to adhere to the anti-discriminatory laws that are already on the books.
The Attorney General is responsible for enforcing these regulations.
This bill will return to committee at a later date.
State and Local Governmental Operations
SB 151
This bill creates a Joint Development Authority of North Fulton Municipalities. This will not change the individual city’s downtown development authority but will allow them to act together when needed. Development authorities are used to attract businesses to the area.
The six cities included are Roswell, Alpharetta, Milton, Johns Creek, Mountain Park, and Sandy Springs. As there is already a Fulton County Development Authority, there would need to be a split in jurisdiction if this passes.
This bill passed out of committee.
Finance Committee
SB 26
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), raises the deduction amount for retired veterans’ income to meet the cost of living increases.
This bill passed committee.
SB 71
This bill eliminates Georgia state income tax for athletes’ income for the use of their name, image or likeness. Student athletes are being recruited to other states’ schools where there is no state income tax, and Georgia schools are losing top athletes to other states because of our state income tax.
This bill will return to committee at a later date.
Interstate Cooperation
SB 62
This bill states that the Georgia National Guard can not be put into an overseas combat situation unless the U.S. Congress has declared war.
The bill passed committee.
HB 117
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), requires commercial food service establishments to identify whether their chicken, beef, or shrimp is domestic or foreign imported. This information would need to be on a menu at a restaurant or on a placard in a store. A large portion of imported shrimp is farm-raised and contains antibiotics; the committee added chicken and beef to the house bill due to the same issue with antibiotics. This requirement excludes state hospitals and other state institutions.
This bill passed committee.
Health and Human Services
SB 233
This bill takes the Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission from 24 to 30 members and gives the Governor, President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House each two extra picks with specific requirements. The bill also removes involuntary commitment and adds addictive diseases and workforce and system development.
This bill passed committee.
SB 220
This bill renames low THC Oil to medical cannabis and changes the 5% THC cap to 50%; doctors will be allowed to prescribe the levels. SB 220 also removes the designation of liquid ounces to ounces so as to include vaping, capsules, gummies, and other products. Additionally, the bill will allow a distribution increase from 1 ounce to 2 ounces to accommodate a 30-day supply. The bill restricts hemp, cookies, candies, or raw plant material and allows associations to educate on these products.
This bill passed committee.
Government Oversight
SB 117
This bill charges individuals working for a public agency with a misdemeanor if they disregard a complaint by a public employee or attempt to retaliate. This is to protect whistleblowers.
The bill passed committee.
SB 170
This bill creates an inter-agency council to connect agencies across the state that interface with homeless people, allowing the agencies to more effectively communicate regarding what services they are providing. This council will meet on a quarterly basis to discuss the services they all provide so care can be better coordinated across the state. The bill has a sunset clause for December 31, 2028.
The bill passed committee.
