Republican lawmakers left the Senate chamber on Friday like victors heading for the locker room, collecting high fives and fist bumps from lobbyists in the hallway on their way to the ice baths. They had reason to celebrate — the Georgia State Senate voting moments earlier gave final passage to comprehensive tort reform, Governor Brian Kemp’s signature priority for the 2025 Legislative Session. After long, passionate debates and a series of conciliatory amendments in each chamber, Senate Bill 68 fought off one final attempt at amendment on the Senate floor before garnering a 34-21 vote that sent the measure to the governor’s desk. And like the winning coach after a big game, Governor Kemp lauded his team in a press conference that followed. We’ll be on the lookout for a spirited signing ceremony in the coming days — and perhaps even a ticker-tape parade.
Aside from the Senate dunking tort reform, Friday was a relatively quiet day with speedy Rules Calendars in both chambers. But with two weeks remaining until adjournment Sine Die, the full-court press will be on next week. We’ll help you keep up with the action in the #GoldDomeReport.
In this Report:
- Floor Action
- Committee Notes
- New Legislation
- What’s Next
Floor Action
The House took up the following measures on Legislative Day 34:
- SB 13 - Georgia Environmental Finance Authority; finance and perform certain duties in connection with projects relating to natural gas facilities; authorize (Substitute)(EU&T-O'Steen-169th) Summers-13th - PASSED 109-50
- SB 58 - "Georgia Transporting Life-Saving Organs and Personnel Act"; enact (Hth-Townsend-179th) Albers-56th - PASSED 161-0
- SB 84 - Special License Plates; specialty license plate honoring the Shepherd Center; establish (Substitute)(MotV-Townsend-179th) Albers-56th - PASSED 162-0
- SB 96 - Official Code of Georgia Annotated; provisions creating certain boards, panels, authorities, centers, commissions, committees, councils, task forces, and other such bodies; update and modernize (Substitute) (CR-Gambill-15th) Echols-49th - PASSED 162-0
- SB 98 - Guardian and Ward; county conservators; provide (JudyJ-Scoggins-14th) Cowsert-46th - PASSED 162-0
- SB 154 - United States Department of Education; references from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; revise or remove (Substitute)(Ed-Dubnik-29th) Hatchett-50th - PASSED 144-15
- HB 223 - Revenue and taxation; exclude from the calculation of taxable net income certain disaster relief or assistance grant program payments for agricultural losses suffered due to Hurricane Helene - AGREED 153-0
The Senate took up the following measures on Legislative Day 34:
- SB 68 - Civil Practice; substantive and comprehensive revision of provisions regarding civil practice, evidentiary matters, damages, and liability in tort actions; provide - AGREED 34-21
- HB 58 - Aviation; adoption of local ordinances, resolution, regulations, or policies that restrict the flight of unmanned aircraft systems over mass public gatherings; authorize - PASSED 53-2
- HB 159 - Georgia Housing and Finance Authority; increase outstanding bond limit - PASSED 49-6
- HB 266 - Income tax; exempt income received as personal compensation for full-time duty in the active military service of the United States - PASSED 53-2
- HB 331 - Animals; prohibit transfer of certain domestic animals at certain locations - PASSED 53-1
- HB 426 - Courts; nonpartisan election of magistrates; provide - PASSED 43-11
Committee Notes
Senate Higher Education Committee
Chairman Max Burns (R-Sylvania) held a meeting of the Senate Higher Education Committee late Thursday afternoon. The Committee heard three house bills:
- HB 192, authored by Representative Matthew Gambill (R-Cartersville), is Governor Kemp’s “Top State for Talent Act.” The bill amends Title 20 to mandate the inclusion of programs from the High-demand Career List in the State Board of Education's career education curriculum for grades six through 12 and requires the Department of Education to develop and align focused programs of study with industry standards and postsecondary opportunities, ensuring they meet the needs of Georgia's workforce. It also revises the competitive grant program to prioritize programs aligned with high-demand careers and introduces individual college and career plans for students in grades six through 12. Additionally, the bill establishes a return on investment analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs aligned with high-demand careers and requires the development of a report detailing the alignment of policies and programs across various educational systems to promote efficient use of state resources and expand postsecondary credential attainment opportunities. The measure received a DO PASS recommendation.
- HB 217, authored by Governor’s Floor Leader Representative Soo Hong (R-Lawrenceville), is part of the governor's legislative agenda for this session. The original bill sought to expand the Dual Achievement program (currently a pilot program, created by SB 204 in 2021) to a permanent statewide program. After feedback and amendment, the measure now seeks only to extend the pilot program for an additional five years (sunsets July 1, 2031). Georgia’s Dual Achievement Program is an alternative pathway for students aged 16 and older who have completed at least 10th grade but choose to withdraw from high school to earn their diploma through a Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institution. To graduate, students must complete at least nine high school-equivalent credits through college coursework and earn either a technical college diploma or two technical certificates in a specific career field. This program benefits students by providing hands-on career training, faster graduation, and workforce readiness while still allowing future educational opportunities. Unlike Dual Enrollment, which lets students earn college credits while in high school, the Dual Achievement Program replaces high school entirely with a technical college education. It’s ideal for students who prefer career-focused learning over a traditional high school experience. Chairman Burns commented that the program is very attractive for two reasons: puts students in a position to earn a diploma from their home institution and also begins the process of technical education. Mark Peavy of TCSG spoke in support of the bill. He stated that the program has been successful for its first four years. There are roughly 400 current students, more than 2,000 students who have participated in the program so far, and nearly 400 graduates. The committee voted DO PASS.
- HB 322, by Representative Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville), amends Title 43 to revise provisions regarding the Georgia Board of Dentistry issuance of a dental or dental hygiene license for the sole purpose of teaching or instructing in an accredited dental school, dental hygiene school, or academic medical center in this state. Representative Hawkins testified that there are about 80% of the number of clinical faculty needed. This bill allows the dean of the College of Dentistry at the Medical College of Georgia to write a letter of recommendation for a foreign-trained person for the Board of Dentistry to review the qualification and grant a faculty license. The committee recommended DO PASS.
New Legislation
The following new legislation of interest has been introduced:
What’s Next
The General Assembly is in adjournment on Monday, March 24, and will reconvene for Legislative Day 34 on Tuesday, March 25, at 10 a.m.
The House is expected to consider the following on Legislative Day 35:
- HR 273 - City of Incheon, South Korea; designate as sister city-state of State of Georgia (SP&CA-Hong-103rd)
- SB 42 - Penalties for violating Code Sections 16-6-9 through 16-6-12; certain penalty provisions for the offense of prostitution, keeping a place of prostitution, pimping, and pandering; repeal (JudyNC-Hong-103rd) Hatchett-50th
- SB 110 - Definitions Relative to the Juvenile Code; definition of neglect and to provide for new definitions (JudyJ-Lumsden-12th) Anavitarte-31st
- SB 119 - Manufactured or Mobile Homes; limited exceptions to circumstances under which a manufactured home shall become real property; provide (B&B-Leverett-123rd) Goodman-8th
The Senate is expected to consider the following on Legislative Day 35:
- HB 53 - Georgia veterans; allow certain persons to be buried in Georgia veterans cemeteries (Substitute) (VM&HS-25th) Bonner-73rd
- HB 92 - Revenue and taxation; postpone date by which local governing authorities can opt out of base year homestead exemption (Substitute) (RULES-52nd) Blackmon-146th
- HB 143 - Water resources; water-measuring devices for farm use of surface and ground water; revise provisions (NR&E-11th) Dickey-134th
- HB 290 - Revenue and taxation; Internal Revenue Code and Internal Revenue Code of 1986; revise terms and incorporate certain provisions of federal law into Georgia law (FIN-56th) Carson-46th
- HB 340 - Distraction-Free Education Act; enact (C&F-31st) Hilton-48th
- HB 360 - Revenue and taxation; rehabilitation of historic structures; revise tax credit (ED&T-45th) Efstration-104th
- HB 392 - Georgia Tax Court; certain events; revise dates (JUDY-42nd) Martin-49th
- HB 475 - Income tax credit; film, gaming, or digital production; revise a definition (ED&T-6th) Gambill-15th
- SR 310 - Senate Study Committee on Additional Services and Resources for Transition Age Youth in Foster Care; create (C&F-32nd)
