On March 26, 2025, the following Georgia House of Representatives committees met to discuss bills to potentially advance:
- Agriculture and Consumer heard HB 757 and voted on HR 368
- Judiciary voted on SB 10, SB 36, SB 173, and SB 245
- Public and Community Health voted on SB 30
- Health voted on SB 39
- Judiciary Non-Civil heard HB 441
- Regulated Industries voted on SB 254
- Public Safety and Homeland Security voted on SB 29 and SB 21
- Higher Education heard HB 206, HB 695, and HB 716
- Technology and Infrastructure Innovation voted on SB 111 and heard SB 177
Select the associated links to read each bill in full.
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs
HB 757
This bill deals with kratom and its regulation in Georgia. The bill adds enforcement mechanisms similar to that of hemp and cannabis to current kratom regulations. It requires entities producing kratom products to register with the Department of Agriculture annually and requires them to swear statements about the safety, content, and makeup of their products; penalties will be administrative rather than a misdemeanor.
The Department of Agriculture will help oversee the regulation, distribution, and retail sales of these products and will require sellers to purchase a licensing.
The bill will return to committee at a later date.
HR 368
This is a resolution to create a study committee related to the effects of hemp and cannabis products sold in Georgia. Multiple organizations testified that there is a confirmation bias written into this resolution that will prevent it from being a comprehensive and unbiased study.
The resolution creates a study committee made up entirely of legislators and no scientific experts. While the bill does not explicitly mandate bias, its language and structure suggest a strong leaning toward regulating or restricting hemp-derived cannabinoids. Opponents argue that the study committee is designed more to validate existing political goals than to neutrally assess the industry.
This resolution passed committee.
Judiciary
SB 10
This bill adds a third judge to the Alapaha judicial circuit. The amendment is to change the start date to January 1, 2026.
The bill passed committee.
SB 36
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), is the Religious Freedom Act (RFRA), which would give license to discriminate on the basis of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, country of origin, etc., all in the name of “religious freedom.”
The bill passed committee.
SB 173
This bill attempts to solve the issue when judges do not rule on motions in a manner that is expedient enough to protect the interest of the parties, specifically in uncontested motions in tort cases. This bill keeps a case moving more quickly.
The bill passed committee.
SB 245
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), would extend to grandparents the right to seek modification prior orders granting them visitation rights to see their grandchild(ren) after their child (the parent) is deceased, incapacitated, or incarcerated.
The bill passed committee.
Public and Community Health
Health
Judiciary Non-Civil
HB 441
This bill, the Georgia Prenatal Equal Protection Act, would deem the unborn as legal persons under the Georgia constitution. It seeks to extend legal protections to unborn children from the moment of conception, granting them equal protection under the law.
The bill changes the definition of “person” to include an unborn child, thus providing them with the same legal rights and protections as individuals born alive. It asserts that the unborn have rights that could be enforced in criminal and civil courts, potentially making abortion illegal by treating it as a violation of the unborn’s rights.
No action was taken.
Regulated Industries
SB 254
This bill sets a limit of 10 mg of total THC per hemp food product or consumable product and a limit of 5 mg per 12 ounce liquid container. It does not stop the consumption of THC derived from hemp.
The bill passed committee.
Public Safety and Homeland Security
SB 29
This bill aims to use DNA testing to keep innocent people out of jail and only incarcerate the guilty. Whenever someone is booked on a felony and fingerprinted, they will be swabbed and added to CODIS, the national DNA database; if the individual is found innocent or is exonerated, their DNA will be removed from the database.
The bill passed committee.
SB 21
This bill states that if a local government official does not enforce Georgia immigration law, they waive their sovereign immunity and are open to civil lawsuit from anything that may occur from not following immigration law. Explicit intent of the bill was not voiced, but it appears to be a form of punishment for officials who choose to not comply with the immigration laws.
The bill passed committee.
Higher Education
HB 206
This bill would repeal Article 2 of Chapter 1 of the Drug-free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990. This bill amends previous legislation, allowing students to remain eligible for scholarships or grants even if they are convicted of an offense involving marijuana or a controlled substance.
The bill will return to committee at a later date.
HB 695
Under this bill, the Georgia Student Finance Authority will establish a needs-based financial aid program to award grants to eligible students who have not yet received their financial aid award, allowing these students to obtain the essential materials before classes begin. These essentials include books, materials, or other items identified by the course instructor as necessary to participating in and completing a required course as part of the program of study.
The bill will return to committee at a later date.
HB 716
This bill, Hunger Free Campus Act, requires the Georgia Student Finance Authority to establish a needs-based program to combat food insecurity among postsecondary students. The maximum award per eligible student shall not exceed an amount equal to the highest cost meal plan of the postsecondary institution attended by such eligible student.
The bill will return to committee at a later date.
Technology and Infrastructure Innovation
SB 111
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), limits the collection of personal information to what is needed, provides the ability for consumers to have their information deleted, and gives the Attorney General exclusive ability to bring legal actions. Despite this, the regulations within the bill do not meet nation or global standards for privacy violations.
The bill passed committee.
SB 177
This bill, discussed previously (see HERE), purports to provide transparency ofpolitical activities within Georgia of organizations controlled by or under the influence of foreign countries or principals hostile to the interests of the US and Georgia; hostile foreign countries are defined as North Korea, Iran, China, and Russia.
Several nonprofit organizations, including the ACLU, expressed concerns that the bill may infringe upon First Amendment rights and could have negative implications for civil liberties.
The bill will return to committee at a later date.
