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Legislation

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View the 2017 legislation.

Legislation Affecting Children and Families

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HB 273 (Rep. Demetrius Douglas, 78th) requires each local board of education to schedule a daily recess for students in grades K – 5, beginning in the 2017-18 school year, provided that recess will not be required on any day when a student has physical education or structured activity time. Local boards will establish written policies to ensure that recess is a safe experience for students, is scheduled so that it provides a break during academic learning, and is not withheld as punishment.
Status: The House passed the bill on March 3, 2017. The Senate Education and Youth Committee passed a substitute version of the bill in 2017 clarifying that recess for grades K – 5 will be scheduled every day unless reasonable circumstances impede such recess, but it didn’t receive a vote in the Senate in 2017. The Senate passed the bill on March 1, 2018. It is now with Gov. Nathan Deal, who can sign the bill or do nothing, either of which will make it law, or veto it.

HB 655 (Rep. Rick Williams, 145th) requires every public school to post a sign containing the toll-free number operated by the Division of Family and Children Services for reporting child abuse or neglect.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 8. The Senate Education and Youth Committee passed a substitute version of the bill on March 14, which includes language from HB 762 (Rep. Wes Cantrell, 22nd), providing for age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education in grades K – 9. The bill is now assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.

HB 669 (Rep. Robert Trammell, 132nd), the “Expand Medicaid Now Act,” requires the appropriation of state dollars to draw down additional federal dollars for Medicaid.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Appropriations Committee, which held a hearing on the bill on March 22.

HB 743 (Rep. David Clark, 98th) requires the Georgia Department of Education to develop and provide guidelines and other relevant materials to inform students participating in interscholastic athletic activities about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 22. The Senate Education and Youth Committee passed it on March 14, and it is now assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.

HB 764 (Rep. David Clark, 98th) adds post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain to the list of diagnoses allowed to be treated with THC oil.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 28, and it is now assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

HB 844 (Rep. Penny Houston, 170th) expands the membership of the Georgia Commission on Hearing Impaired and Deaf Persons and creates a statewide coordinated longitudinal data management system for all children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 28, and the Senate passed it on March 15. The bill became effective upon the governor’s signature on May 8.

HB 983 (Rep. Betty Price, 48th) amends written Division of Family and Children Services’ protocol that outlines procedures to be used in child abuse cases to require a medical review and evaluation upon a third allegation of child abuse.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee, which took no action on the bill.

HR 446 (Rep. William Boddie, 62nd) creates the Johnny Tolbert, III House Study Committee on Heatstroke. The bill is named for a 12-year-old who died from heatstroke during football practice in 2016.
Status: The resolution was assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The committee passed a substitute version of the resolution in 2017, but the full House didn’t pass it. The committee passed the resolution again on March 15, 2018. It is now assigned to the House Rules Committee.

HR 1375 (Rep. Katie Dempsey, 13th) encourages the State of Georgia to advise all public and private schools to educate students and parents about the dangers of meningococcal disease.
Status: The House Health and Human Services Committee passed the resolution on March 7, and it is now assigned to the House Rules Committee.

SB 118 (Sen. Renee Unterman, 45th), known as Ava’s Law, increases the age for health insurance coverage for individuals with autism spectrum disorder from 6 – 12 and establishes a yearly cap of $30,000 for coverage of applied behavior analysis treatment.
Status: The Senate passed the bill on Feb. 8. The bill was amended by the House Insurance Committee to specify that coverage is for applied behavior analysis treatment, raise the age for coverage from age 6 to 20, and set a yearly cap of $35,000. Treatment will be covered when determined by the insurance company to be medically necessary. The Senate agreed to the House’s changes. Deal signed the bill, and it will become effective on Jan. 1, 2019.

SB 326 (Sen. Donzella James, 35th) creates the “Sheltering Adolescent from Destructive Environments (Sade’s) Law,” which requires law enforcement personnel, hospitals, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and others to verify that a person is an adult blood relative, stepparent, or has legal custody when releasing a child to his or her custody.
Status: The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which took no action on the bill.


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HB 713 (Rep. Joyce Chandler, 105th) revises the eligibility requirement for the HOPE Scholarship so that students who are home-schooled or have graduated from a non-eligible high school and score in the 91st percentile or higher on the ACT or SAT are eligible for the scholarship. Currently, those students must score in the 93rd percentile to be eligible.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 28, and it is now assigned to the Senate Higher Education Committee.

HB 722 (Rep. David Casas, 107th) expands the list of postsecondary institutions in which students can enroll for Georgia’s Move on When Ready (dual-enrollment) program.
Status: The House Education Committee passed the bill on Feb. 6. It was not voted out of the House Rules Committee, so it did not cross.

HB 740 (Rep. Randy Nix, 69th) prohibits schools from suspending students in preschool through third grade for more than five days without first receiving a multi-tiered system of supports such as the Response to Intervention program, a four-tier model for identifying and addressing students’ academic and behavioral needs. There will be no prohibition from suspension if the student possessed a weapon or illegal drugs, or if the behavior endangered the safety of other students or school personnel. If a student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the school will also convene an IEP meeting to review appropriate supports being provided prior to assigning suspension for more than five days.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 14. The Senate passed the bill by substitute, adding language that the school will comply with all federal laws and requirements regarding obtaining parental consent during the multi-tiered support process and prior to certain screenings or evaluations. Deal signed the bill, and it will become effective July 1.

HB 743 (Rep. David Clark, 98th) requires the Georgia Department of Education to develop and provide guidelines and other relevant materials to inform students participating in interscholastic athletic activities about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 22, and it is now assigned to the Senate Education and Youth Committee.

HB 763 (Rep. Randy Nix, 69th) expands the duties of the student attendance protocol committees to include reviewing and making policy recommendations regarding school climate to promote positive gains in student achievement scores and student and teacher morale while decreasing student suspensions, dropouts, and other negative aspects of the school environment. An amendment adopted by the Senate Education and Youth Committee added language enhancing comprehensive school safety plans.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 15, and the Senate passed the bill by substitute on March 23. The names of the committees were changed to student attendance and school climate committees, and the meeting schedule changed from quarterly to twice annually. Language from SB 457 (Sen. Horacena Tate, 38th) was also added, requiring all public and private schools to conduct drills on school safety plans based upon guidance from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. Public schools may request funding assistance from the state for safety improvements including safety equipment, though schools will be required to match state funding with local funds unless the school can demonstrate a substantial hardship. The House agreed to the Senate’s changes. Deal signed the bill, and it will become effective July 1.

HB 778 (Rep. Terry England, 116th) transfers the administration of the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program from the Georgia Department of Education to the Technical College System of Georgia.
Status: The bill was pulled by its sponsor. England said he pulled the bill due to anxiety about the change and frustration with rumors but noted that the issue will be revisited during House Rural Development Council meetings this summer.

HB 852 (Rep. Michael Smith, 41st) allows a student to remain enrolled in a public school through the end of the school year after the student moves to a different attendance zone unless the student has chronic disciplinary or attendance problems.
Status: The House and Senate passed the bill. Deal signed it, and it will become effective July 1.

HB 926 (Rep. Beth Beskin, 54th) requires each local school system to provide Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) annual statistics and data on students’ health and physical education. GaDOE also is required to complete a report on student health and physical education and publish the report on the GaDOE website.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Education Committee, which discussed it. While no vote was taken, Chairman Brooks Coleman stated his intention to create a study committee on the issue.

HB 928 (Rep. Rick Williams, 145th) extends HOPE Scholarship eligibility from seven years to 15 years from a student’s graduation from high school or equivalent. An exception is also provided for military service years, which do not count toward the 15-year period.
Status: The House Higher Education Committee passed the bill. It was not voted out of the House Rules Committee, so it did not cross.

HB 932 (Rep. Tommy Benton, 31st) raises the age of mandatory school attendance from 16 to 17 years.
Status: A subcommittee discussed the bill and forwarded it to the full Education Committee. The committee took no action on the bill, so it did not cross.

HB 955 (Rep. Spencer Frye, 118th) stipulates that the HOPE grant will cover a student’s full cost of tuition.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Appropriations Committee, which took no action, so it did not cross.

HB 963 (Rep. Buzz Brockway, 102nd) amends current law related to focused programs of study so that the State Workforce Development Board, in consultation with the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and the Technical College System of Georgia, will develop an annual list of high-wage and high-demand industry credentials and state licenses. The bill also requires GaDOE to distribute the information annually to all Georgia middle and high schools. SB 139 (Sen. Hunter Hill, 6th) was amended to include language from HB 963.
Status of HB 963: The House Education Committee passed the bill on Feb. 23. It was not voted out of the House Rules Committee, so it did not cross.
Status of SB 139: The Senate passed the bill in 2017, but the House Education Committee didn’t pass it. That committee passed a substitute version on March 9, which replaced the original language from SB 139 with language from HB 963. The House passed the bill on March 21, and it now returns to the Senate for agreement to the House changes.

HR 1017 (Rep. John Corbett, 174th) and a companion resolution, SR 714 (Sen. Jenn Jordan, 6th), urge schools, local educational agencies, and the Georgia Department of Education to address the educational impact of dyslexia.
Status of HR 1017: The House adopted the resolution on March 9, and it required no further action to become effective.
Status of SR 714: The Senate adopted the resolution on Feb. 7, and it required no further action to become effective.

HR 1102 (Rep. Sam Park, 101st) creates the House Study Committee on Increasing Access to Pre-K and After-School Programs.
Status: The resolution is assigned to the House Special Rules Committee.

SB 362 (Sen. Lindsey Tippins, 37th) provides for the establishment of an innovative assessment pilot program in up to 10 school systems. The bill seeks to deliver real-time feedback on student performance during the school year when problems can still be addressed.
Status: The Senate and House passed the bill. Deal signed it, and it will become effective July 1.

SB 401 (Sen. Lindsey Tippins, 37th) requires consideration of students’ individual graduation plans during eighth grade when scheduling courses in ninth grade, and expands the role of school counselors to include career-oriented aptitude and career-interest guidance. The bill also directs the Georgia Department of Education to review each school counselor’s role, workload, and program service delivery in grades 6 – 12 and to provide a report to the State Board of Education and General Assembly by Dec. 31.
Status: The Senate passed an amended version of the bill, which requires all postsecondary institutions with dual-enrollment students to provide enrollment and student record data to the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. The House amended the bill to include language from HB 762 (Rep. Wes Cantrell, 22nd) that amends Professional Standards Commission certification renewal for teachers and other school personnel to allow participation in or presentation at in-service training on sexual abuse and assault awareness prevention. Deal signed the bill on May 8, and it will become effective July 1.

SB 405 (Sen. Fran Millar, 40th) provides for grants of $1,500 per semester to low-income students enrolled in a University System of Georgia institution. The students must meet one of three criteria: earned SAT scores of at least 480 on reading and 530 on math; passed an end-of-pathway assessment under the Carl Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act; or completed a work-based learning experience.
Status: The Senate passed the bill, but the House didn’t. However, language directing the Georgia Student Finance Authority to establish a needs-based program for eligible postsecondary students, subject to funds being added to the budget, was added to HB 787 (Rep. Scott Hilton, 95th), which deals with charter schools. The House and Senate both passed HB 787, and Deal signed it on May 7. The bill will become effective July 1.

SR 761 (Sen. Fran Millar, 40th) creates the Senate Study Committee on Dyslexia. Two related resolutions—HR 1017 (Rep. John Corbett, 174th) and SR 714 (Sen. Jennifer Jordan, 6th)—urge schools, local educational agencies, and the Georgia Department of Education to address the educational impact of dyslexia.
Status of HR 1017: The House adopted the resolution on March 9, and it required no further action to become effective.
Status of SR 714: The Senate adopted the resolution on Feb. 7, and it required no further action to become effective.
Status of SR 761: The Senate adopted the resolution creating the committee on March 27, and it required no further action to become effective.


 

HB 668 (Rep. Betty Price, 48th) allows a petition for guardianship to be filed for a proposed ward that is 17 years old if the petitioner has a good faith reason to believe that the child will need a guardian upon turning 18.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 13. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the bill on March 7, and it is now assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.

HB 927 (Rep. Chad Nimmer, 178th) requires the Division of Family and Children Services to provide certain information to a caregiver, foster parent, pre-adoptive parent, or relative no later than 30 days after placement of a child. This information includes the child’s most recent physical and dental exams; any available information on the child’s known medical conditions and medications; and recommendations from the child’s most recent developmental assessment, trauma assessment, and psychological evaluation.
Status: The House passed the bill, but the Senate Health and Human Services Committee replaced the original language from HB 927 with language from SB 351 (Sen. Renee Unterman, 45th), which expands some authority for advanced practice nurses. Language from HB 927 was added to HB 906 (Rep. Katie Dempsey, 13th), which prohibits public disclosure of personal information of foster parents or former foster parents if included in a public record. The General Assembly passed HB 906 with the additions from HB 927. Deal signed it, and it will become effective July 1.

HB 982 (Rep. Chad Nimmer, 178th) allows a court to excuse the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) from continuing its “diligent search” for relatives or fictive kin after six months if the child is living with a foster parent in a stable home environment.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 28. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed a substitute version of the bill on March 15, adding clean-up language requested by DFCS. The bill is now assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 97 (Sen. Elena Parent, 42nd) requires an amendment to the Georgia child care plan to extend the length of time child care subsidies are offered to parents attending a job training or educational program, increasing it from up to 12 months to up to 24 months.
Status: The bill was introduced in 2017 and was assigned to the Senate Education and Youth Committee, which took no action during that session. The committee held a hearing on the bill on Feb.12, but took no action.

SB 131 (Sen. Blake Tillery, 19th) requires adoption proceedings to be stayed while a termination of parental rights appeal is pending.
Status: The bill was introduced in 2017 and assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Senate passed the bill on Jan. 30. The House amended the bill to add language regarding termination of parental rights to allow consideration of whether it’s in the child’s best interest to delay integration into a stable and permanent home environment and the effect of a lack of a stable environment on the child’s safety, well-being, and physical and emotional health. The Senate agreed to the House changes. Deal signed the bill, and it will become effective July 1.


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HB 494 (Rep. Katie Dempsey, 13th) allows for hearsay evidence to be admitted in preliminary hearings on emergency closures of early care and learning programs, revises the definition of “crime” for purposes of background checks, and provides that background checks aren’t valid if an individual has been separated from employment for more than 180 days from an early care and education program. The definition of background checks is also expanded to require a more comprehensive records check.
Status: The bill was introduced in 2017, and the House passed it on Feb. 28. The Senate passed the bill, and it was signed by Deal. It will become effective July 1.

HB 513 (Rep. Pam Dickerson, 113th) requires the Department of Community Health to develop a sign to be posted at all medical facilities to inform the public that such facilities are authorized locations to leave a newborn child.
Status: The bill was introduced in 2017, and the House passed it on Feb. 28. The Senate passed a substitute version requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to develop standards for signs to be posted at any medical facility and fire or police station to inform the general public that the facility is an authorized location to leave a newborn child. The House agreed to the Senate changes. Deal signed the bill, and it will become effective July 1.

HB 605 (Rep. Jason Spencer, 180th), the Hidden Predator Act of 2018, allows plaintiffs of any age to file a civil action for injuries resulting from childhood sexual abuse for a period of two years—from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2020.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 28. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a substitute version on March 23. The bill is now assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.

HB 672 (Rep. Erica Thomas, 39th) permits the use of speed detection devices by law enforcement personnel employed to patrol public schools only when sheriffs or local governing authorities approve of such devices and apply to the Department of Public Safety for a permit to use the devices.
Status: The House Motor Vehicles Committee passed a substitute version of the bill on Feb. 6. It was not voted out of the House Rules Committee, so it did not cross.

HB 673 (Rep. John Carson, 46th) requires drivers to use hands-free technology with wireless communication devices while operating a motor vehicle.
Status: The House and Senate passed the bill. Deal signed the bill, and it will become effective July 1.

HB 732 (Rep. Deborah Silcox, 52nd) expands the scope of the law that criminalizes sex trafficking to include the act of patronizing an individual for sexually explicit conduct. SB 335 (Sen. Renee Unterman, 45th) is a companion bill introduced in the Senate.
Status of HB 732: The House and Senate passed the bill. Deal signed the bill, and it will become effective July 1.
Status of SB 335: The Senate passed the bill on Feb. 28. The House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee passed a substitute version of the bill on March 21, which includes language from HB 1006 (Rep. Ed Setzler, 35th). HB 1006 addresses sexual assault by a person with supervisory or disciplinary authority. The House didn’t pass the bill.

HB 746 (Rep. Scott Holcomb, 81st) prescribes uniform statewide policies and procedures related to law enforcement’s contact with sexual assault victims.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, which took no action on the bill, so it did not cross.

HB 762 (Rep. Wes Cantrell, 22nd) provides for age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education in grades K – 9.
Status: Although HB 762 didn’t pass, language from the bill was added to SB 401 (Sen. Lindsey Tippins, 37th), which requires consideration of students’ individual graduation plans during eighth grade when scheduling courses in ninth grade, and expands the role of school counselors to include career-oriented aptitude and career-interest guidance. Language from HB 762 was added to SB 401 that amends Professional Standards Commission certification renewal for teachers and other school personnel to allow participation in or presentation at in-service training on sexual abuse and assault awareness prevention. The bill will become effective July 1.

HB 769 (Rep. Rick Jasperse, 11th) implements recommendations from the House Rural Development Council relating to health care. It creates the Rural Center for Health Care Innovation and Sustainability within the Department of Community Health. It will be housed at a postsecondary institution in Georgia and serve as a central repository for collection and dissemination of health data from state health agencies. The center will use data to determine rural health care needs. The bill allows and defines micro-hospitals, which would have between two to seven beds and provide 24-hour services in counties with fewer than 50,000 residents. The bill was amended by adding language from the original HB 827 (Rep. Trey Kelley, 16th) increasing the value of the rural hospital organization tax credit.
Status: The House and Senate passed the bill, and Deal signed it. The first section, which addresses pharmacists licensed in this state but working from a remote location, will become effective Jan. 1, 2019. The rest of the bill will go into effect on July 1.

HB 802 (Rep. Wendell Willard, 51st) revises sentencing and paroling options for defendants who commit crimes at less than 18 years of age. The bill eliminates the death penalty and life without parole for these defendants and instructs the court to consider mitigating factors or circumstances that the court deems relevant. The bill also provides for retroactive parole consideration for inmates serving sentences for crimes committed when he or she was under 18.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. A subcommittee held a hearing on the bill but took no action.

HB 837 (Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, 82nd) provides for statewide uniformity in policies and procedures concerning law enforcement contact with victims of sexual assault.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, which took no action.

HB 868 (Rep. Kim Schofield, 60th) amends the Low THC Oil Patient Registry by adding the diagnosis of lupus as an eligible condition.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, which took no action.

HB 918 (Rep. Chuck Efstration, 104th) addresses the state tax code and state revenue projections in response to federal tax reform legislation that Congress passed late last year.
Status: The House passed the bill on Feb. 22. The Senate passed an amended version on March 1, and the House agreed to the Senate’s changes the same day. Deal signed the bill on March 2. There are multiple effective dates for different sections of the bill.

HB 920 (Rep. Katie Dempsey, 13th) creates a limited exception to the confidentiality of adoption records, allowing the Division of Family and Children Services to share with the Office of the Child Advocate information concerning an adopted child when the child dies, suffers a near fatality, or is an alleged victim of child abuse or neglect.
Status: The House and Senate passed the bill. Deal signed it, and it will become effective July 1.

HB 958 (Rep. Dave Belton, 112th) requires the Department of Community Health to develop signs to be posted at certain medical facilities to indicate locations where a newborn child may be left and the mother can avoid criminal prosecution.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee, which took no action.

HB 966 (Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, 82nd) limits the use of restraints on a child in court.
Status: The bill was assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee, which took no action.

HB 972 (Rep. Wendell Willard, 51st) allows the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) to offer extended care youth services to foster youth between the ages of 18 – 21, and amends current law to require a transition plan be completed for every foster child in the 90-day period prior to him or her turning 18.
Status: The House passed the bill, and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee added language requiring that a child sign a voluntary placement agreement with DFCS in order to receive extended care youth services. Language from HB 927 (Rep. Chad Nimmer, 178th) was also added to the bill requiring DFCS to provide certain information to a caregiver, foster parent, pre-adoptive parent, or relative no later than 30 days after placement of a child. The House didn’t agree to the Senate changes, so HB 972 didn’t pass. Language from the bill was added to HB 906 (Rep. Katie Dempsey, 13th), which protects the privacy of foster parents. The House and Senate did pass HB 906 with the added language. Deal signed the bill, and it will become effective July 1, 2020.

HR 1414 (Rep. Rick Jasperse, 11th) creates the House Study Committee on School Security.
Status: The House Special Rules Committee passed the resolution on March 14, and the House adopted it on March 19. No further action is required.

SB 337 (Sen. Renee Unterman, 45th) updates current law related to the admissibility of a child’s out-of-court statements describing sexual contact or physical abuse, specifying that the code section applies to any motion made, or hearing or trial commenced, on or after the effective date of the subsection.
Status: The Senate passed the bill on Feb. 26, and it is now assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.

SB 352 (Rep. Renee Unterman, 45th) establishes a Commission on Substance Abuse and Recovery.
Status: The Senate passed the bill on Feb. 7. It is now assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee, which has taken no action on the bill. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee added language from SB 352 to HB 161 (Rep. Betty Price, 48th), which relates to employees and agents of syringe services programs. The House passed HB 161 on Feb. 21, and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed the amended version on March 14. The bill is now assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 357 (Sen. Dean Burke, 11th), “The Health Act,” forms a Health Coordination and Innovation Council of the State of Georgia; establishes a Health System Innovation Center; and creates the position of director of health care policy and strategic planning who reports directly to the governor. The bill establishes the center as a research organization that will utilize Georgia’s academic, public health policy, data, and workforce resources to develop new approaches for financing and delivering health care.
Status: The Senate passed the bill and the House passed a substitute version on March 15. The House version creates the Health Coordination and Innovation Council, but doesn’t include language creating the Health System Innovation Center. The Senate agreed to the House changes and the bill passed. Deal vetoed the bill (veto statement #21) on May 8.

SB 375 (Sen. William Ligon, 3rd) creates the “Keep Faith in Adoption and Foster Care Act,” which allows a child-placing agency to decline to accept a referral for foster care or adoption services under a contract with the state based on the child-placing agency’s sincerely held religious beliefs, and bars the state from taking adverse action against the agency.
Status: The Senate passed the bill on Feb. 23, and it is assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

SB 470 (Sen. Josh McKoon, 29th) requires the commissioner of public safety to assign at least one member of the Georgia State Patrol to every public school, subject to the appropriation of required funds.
Status: The bill was assigned to the Senate Public Safety Committee, which took no action.

SB 476 (Sen. William Ligon, 3rd) provides superior court with exclusive original jurisdiction over the trial of a child age 13 – 17 who is charged with aggravated assault with a firearm.
Status: The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which took no action.