On March 10, 2025, the following Georgia State Senate committees met to discuss bills to potentially advance:
- Public Safety voted on HB 423 and HB 296
- Health and Human Services voted on HB 89, HB 352, and HB 473
- Finance voted on HB 90, HB 290, HB 223, and HB 141
- Judiciary voted on HB 55, HB 199, HB 176, HB 180, and HB 406
Select the associated links to read each bill in full.
Public Safety
HB 423
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), amends the duties and responsibilities of the Georgia Emergency Communication Authority to include procuring, implementing, and overseeing Next Gen 9-1-1, which is designed to address the struggles Georgia communities face with the outdated or dysfunctional 9-1-1 system that needs modernizing. This bill adds representatives from Information Technology, Cybersecurity, and Geographic Information Systems agencies to the Board of Directors to ensure all of these agencies have crossover communication.
The bill passed committee.
HB 296
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), allows drivers to use a digital driver’s license when being pulled over by a law enforcement officer. As these officers need special equipment to accept this driver’s license, this bill sets a July 1, 2027, date for all officers to have this equipment and begin accepting digital drivers’ licenses.
The bill passed committee.
Health and Human Services
HB 89
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), establishes a Regional Perinatal Center Advisory Committee. Georgia has six regional perinatal centers; the advisory committee will be tasked with ensuring all of these centers provide the same services and information to work toward a common goal of decreasing the maternal and infant mortality rates in Georgia. The bill has not changed since receiving a favorable report from the House committee.
The bill passed committee.
HB 352
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), ensures that Medicaid will cover continuous glucose monitors via the most cost-effective channel for individuals with gestational diabetes.
The bill passed committee.
HB 473
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), revises the list of drugs classified as Schedule 1 substances at a state level. This includes designer opioids, synthetic mushrooms, and a drug similar to Ritalin. This kind of bill is passed yearly to maintain this list of drugs.
The bill passed committee.
Finance
HB 90
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), aims to increase the maximum acreage farms can use to qualify for assessment and taxation. Acreage would be increased from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres. This would help preserve farmland, specifically family farms.
The bill passed committee.
HB 290
This is an annual Internal Revenue code update to align the income tax code as much as possible to the federal changes that were made. This year, the updates include language to account for the Federal Disaster Relief Act of 2023, which concerned grant payments due to wildfires, as well as updates to the Equal Tax Treatment Act, which allows grants to veteran services organizations to be non-taxable.
The bill passed committee.
HB 223
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), provides tax relief to people who have lost crops due to Hurricane Helene.
The first provision allows for any payment for federal disaster relief, or any payment for crop insurance, to be exempt from state income tax starting on January 1, 2024.
The second provision allows timber owners in the affected counties to write off 100% of their timber casualty loss or be exempt from taxes. There will be a maximum of $550 per acre credit, and the bill requires that these farmers to replant. Timber owners may carry this forward year by year up to 2030 and may transfer this credit one time if needed.
The third provision is a tax exemption on sales tax for any construction materials and the rebuilding of livestock and greenhouses through December 2025.
The bill passed committee.
HB 141
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), seeks to protect the financial privacy of businesses while ensuring local governments continue to receive the revenue they need to function effectively. Businesses are currently required to submit detailed financial records to their local jurisdictions. This bill would provide an alternative by allowing businesses to submit an affidavit from a CPA certifying their gross receipts rather than submitting extensive financial documentation.
The bill passed committee.
Judiciary
HB 55
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), would add another judge to the Alapaha judicial circuit.
The bill passed committee.
HB 199
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), is intended to guarantee that all personally identifiable information of Georgia judges is restricted from certain public websites and disclosures due to instances of their families’ lives being threatened.
The bill passed committee.
HB 176
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), ensures the meaningful access to request a post-conviction review from the court and untangle language around a withdrawal of a guilty plea.
The bill passed committee.
HB 180
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), changes the code as it relates to Article VI courts and probate court qualifications in counties with more than 90,000 people. This bill requires the candidate to have the affidavit signed and with them on the day they qualify for probate judge rather than on election day.
The bill passed committee.
HB 406
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), would raise the retirement age from superior court judges from 60 to 65.
The bill passed committee.
