8 Legislative Session Recap 2025

This week, the Georgia House of Representatives returned to the Gold Dome on Monday, March 3rd, kicking off the busiest week of the 2025 legislative session so far. Thursday, March 6th marked Crossover Day, a critical deadline for legislation to move from one chamber to the other. The House worked late into the evening, passing a record 75 bills and resolutions on Crossover Day alone that are now awaiting consideration in the Senate. With many pieces of legislation to consider, it was a week of intense activity and crucial decision-making as we worked to ensure that we had every opportunity to advance sound legislation to address the pressing needs of our state and its citizens.

We began the week by fulfilling our constitutional duty with the final passage of House Bill 67, the Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2025 budget, which largely prioritizes recovery efforts in the wake of the catastrophic Hurricane Helene. The storm’s widespread destruction prompted an urgent need for recovery, and this budget allocates critical funding to help rebuild affected communities. Set by a revenue estimate of $40.5 billion, including $2.7 billion in surplus funds, the budget provides a $4.4 billion increase, or 12.2 percent, over the original Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget. Notable allocations include $113 million for the Governor’s Emergency Fund to continue the state’s emergency response efforts, $50 million for debris removal and $285 million in disaster relief for farmers and timber producers. While Hurricane Helene relief is a top priority in the AFY 2025 budget, addressing the needs of the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) is also a key component of this budget. HB 67 provides a total infusion of $345.9 million for the department, including $215 million in new funding to make essential safety, security and technology upgrades to GDC’s infrastructure. These upgrades are necessary to ensure the safety of both inmates and correctional staff, including $17.5 million for security technology to detect and prevent the introduction of contraband. The budget also prioritizes staffing and security, providing $50.9 million for new correctional officer positions. Additionally, $10.5 million will be allocated for new body cameras and tasers, enhancing safety for both officers and offenders. These tools will be linked to an Over Watch Logistics Unit (OWL), funded at $7.2 million, that will continuously monitor security cameras across the state, enabling a rapid response to disturbances. With a focus on immediate recovery and long-term restoration, this amended budget ensures that Georgia’s response to both Hurricane Helene and essential public safety needs is comprehensive and sustained. This funding is not only necessary but essential for rebuilding lives, homes and communities across Georgia. Governor Kemp signed the amended budget on Thursday after its final passage in the House and Senate. 

A key focus in the Georgia House this week was prioritizing the state’s education system, safeguarding Georgia’s children and enhancing school safety. As a result, the House passed House Bill 268, a comprehensive measure aimed at improving the safety, health and well-being of students and school communities across Georgia. HB 268 would implement a range of initiatives to reaffirm our dedication to fostering an environment where children can thrive without fear. First, the bill places an emphasis on improving the sharing of student records between schools and from state agencies, an impactful aspect of the bill that would allow schools to receive timely access to crucial educational and medical information for students. HB 268 would require schools to utilize an anonymous reporting app to give students a safe and confidential way to report concerns to allow schools to respond more quickly and effectively to the needs of at-risk students and would create mental health coordinator positions for each school district to connect students facing mental health challenges with available resources. The bill would also establish a statewide behavioral threat assessment indicator to quickly identify potential risks to school safety and address them before they escalate, while also increasing penalties for terroristic threats and mandating that schools suspend and provide counseling for students who make credible threats. Furthermore, HB 268 would require local schools to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), suicide and youth violence prevention training, making sure students are not only protected but also equipped with the tools and resources to manage their behavior and emotions in a healthy manner. HB 268 would also create an Office of Safe Schools to provide resources and training to help schools foster safer environments, develop policies to prevent violence and, by July 1, 2026, coordinate with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) to develop a state-wide behavioral threat management process for local school systems and law enforcement agencies. These behavioral threat management teams (BTAM) would be trained on identifying specific behaviors that are known indicators of a youth at risk and possibly in need of supportive interventions or services. BTAM teams would be formed at the discretion of the local school superintendent and sheriff’s office and would consist of experts in counseling and mental health, school administration and law enforcement. If a student poses a threat of harm, the BTAM team would immediately notify the superintendent, local law enforcement and the Office of School Safety. Additionally, the bill would develop a comprehensive School and Student Safety Database (S3), which would centralize critical information to manage safety concerns related to credible threats against Georgia’s schools and students, while ensuring the privacy and security of such data. HB 268 would empower Georgia schools to be better prepared for emergencies, giving families peace of mind knowing that their children are safe at school and that comprehensive and effective plans are in place to protect and provide support services to Georgia’s students.

As the House prioritized public safety in schools this week, we also took up a bipartisan measure aimed at incentivizing safe, responsible firearm storage through the passage of House Bill 79, the Firearm Safe Handling and Secure Storage Tax Credit Act. This bill would introduce new provisions under Georgia law, offering taxpayers a credit of up to $300 for eligible expenses related to firearm safety training and secure storage devices. Proper firearm storage is crucial in preventing accidents, unauthorized access and theft. The tax credit program, with an annual aggregate cap of $3 million, would encourage responsible firearm ownership by providing financial incentives for individuals to participate in safety courses and invest in secure storage solutions. HB 79 would outline a clear path toward creating safer homes and communities across Georgia, reduce preventable tragedies and provide a cost-saving incentive for Georgians. 

In an effort to improve our state’s criminal justice system, the House unanimously passed House Bill 123, which would eliminate the death penalty as a punishment when sentencing individuals who have intellectual disabilities (ID). Under current Georgia law, those with intellectual disabilities can be subject to the death penalty if found guilty of a crime in capital cases, meaning cases where the defendant could face the death penalty. Under HB 123, the accused individual would be able to file a pretrial notice asserting their intellectual disability, which could lead to a pretrial hearing. The court could then determine whether the person has an intellectual disability based on a preponderance of the evidence. Currently, the defendant would have to prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that they have an intellectual disability, but HB 123 would move the standard of proof to a “preponderance of evidence,” meaning that the defendant would need to prove that their claim is more likely true than not. If the defendant is found to have an intellectual disability, the state would be barred from seeking the death penalty as punishment. This update to the law would increase efficiency during the pretrial phase and reduce the risk of an individual who has an ID from being misidentified as an individual without this disability. Defendants with intellectual disabilities oftentimes do not fully understand the consequences of their actions, unlike defendants without these disabilities. HB 123 has been a longstanding priority in the House, reflecting a continued effort to create a fairer and just criminal justice system. 

We also passed legislation to improve maternal health outcomes with House Bill 89, which would enhance oversight and coordination of maternal care services. The bill would grant the Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) access to psychiatric records of deceased mothers to better understand mental health’s role in maternal mortality. Mental health conditions are a leading cause of death in mothers, and by allowing the MMRC access to mental health records, the committee could make informed recommendations and policy decisions to improve future health outcomes for pregnant women. HB 89 would also establish the Regional Perinatal Center Advisory Committee to consider and make recommendations to the commissioner of the Department of Public Health (DPH) concerning the addition, reduction or transition of regional perinatal centers in the state. The advisory committee would be composed of between 11 and 21 members and appointed by the DPH for four-year terms. Beginning July 1, 2026, and every four years thereafter, DPH, in collaboration with the advisory committee, would review and make recommendations on the adequacy of the regional perinatal system and consider hospital and labor and delivery closures. The assessment would also ensure that perinatal facilities can stabilize mothers and infants before transport, focus on regional maternity care coordination, the timely evaluation and referral of high-risk pregnancies, the availability of adequate transport systems and the provision of essential perinatal services. When changes to these perinatal centers are approved by DPH at the recommendation of the committee, DPH would be able to submit a budget request seeking appropriations to implement such changes. Lastly, the bill would move deceased mothers’ autopsies under the scope of the Georgia Investigative Bureau or regular medical examiner offices, rather than perinatal facilities due to liability concerns. Currently, there are six perinatal centers across the state, and DPH has determined that they each require a review of their provided services. This committee would help ensure that we are doing everything we can to reduce maternal mortality cases in Georgia. It is critical, especially for mothers in underserved communities, to receive the care and support they need to successfully care for themselves and their babies. 

The House fulfilled one of Governor Kemp’s legislative priorities this session with the passage of House Bill 112, which would provide a one-time income tax refund for taxpayers who filed returns for both the 2023 and 2024 tax years. This refund amount would be the lesser of their 2023 state income tax liability or a fixed amount determined by their filing status: $250 for single filers or married individuals filing separately, $375 for heads of household and $500 for married couples filing jointly. Taxable nonresidents and part-year residents would receive a prorated refund based on the portion of their income taxable in Georgia, as reported on their 2023 form. With an estimated total distribution of $7.6 million, the measure underscores the House’s commitment to returning taxpayers’ hard-earned money back into their pockets. 

The House also unanimously passed House Bill 262, a necessary measure to strengthen the resilience of Georgia’s healthcare infrastructure, by creating a grant program to acquire and install backup generators for affected rural hospitals – acute care hospitals located in rural counties with fewer than 100 beds and located in any region where the governor declared a state of emergency after July 1, 2024. Under this legislation, the Department of Community Health, in collaboration with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, would set grant criteria and make award decisions. These grant amounts would be determined on a case-by-case basis to best meet each hospital’s specific needs, with priority given to affected rural hospitals lacking backup generators and the means to install them. In response to vulnerabilities exposed by Hurricane Helene and other recent storms in our state, this legislation would ensure that rural healthcare facilities can continue to operate and provide uninterrupted essential medical services during power outages.

House Bill 465 also passed unanimously in the House this week and aims to protect missing individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). HB 465, the Autism Missing Person Alert System Act, would add ASD to the list of conditions eligible for triggering the Mattie’s Call state-wide alert system. Established by the Georgia General Assembly in 2006, Mattie’s Call is an emergency missing alert for disabled or elderly persons, and this investigative tool can only be activated by a local law enforcement agency. By including autism spectrum disorder in the alert system, local law enforcement would be provided with vital guidance to prioritize searches in waterways and public roadways, areas where missing individuals with ASD may be more vulnerable. Additionally, the alert would ensure that distinctive autism-related behaviors are disclosed to help identify the missing person more quickly and effectively. This bill is necessary to assist law enforcement in receiving proper, clear training on how to handle missing person situations involving individuals with ASD, ensuring they are better equipped to manage these unique and potentially challenging circumstances. The unanimous passage of HB 465 reflects a strong commitment to enhancing safety and support for individuals with autism and their families. 

My colleagues and I also passed legislation this week to reform school-zone speed enforcement by implementing greater transparency and a fairer citation process. House Bill 651 would limit automated speed camera operation to a four-hour window around school starting and dismissal times and enforce a 10-mph buffer above the school-zone speed limit before a citation is issued. Proper signage, including flashing yellow lights and radar speed detectors, would also be in place to ensure drivers receive clear warnings. A key change in this bill is the redistribution of civil citation revenue, with 50 percent of funds going directly toward school safety measures, such as surveillance, cybersecurity and crossing guards. The remaining revenue would still support local governments, but there would be greater accountability so that citation funds are not funneled to improper uses by private companies and local governments. There have been cases of Georgians across the state receiving citations well after school hours when these speed limits are not being enforced, unjustly charging individuals with speed violations. Under this bill, the first offense would be $75 and the second offense $125, and the bill strikes the previously instated $25 administrative fee, which would ensure more transparency of these fines. Furthermore, the bill would remove provisions that allowed unpaid citations to affect vehicle tag renewals and reinforce a driver’s right to contest citations in court. Lastly, the bill would require the Department of Public Safety to review speed enforcement measures on state highways, with the goal of preventing unwarranted fines. Alternatively, the House also passed House Bill 225 this week, which would remove automated school-zone speed cameras altogether, with the goal of outright banning unjust citations. The House sent both bills to the Senate for its consideration in hopes that at least one of the two bills will receive final passage to address the House’s desire to reform this practice.

I encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns regarding the bills being considered by visiting my Capitol office, calling 404-656-0213, or emailing karen.mathiak@house.ga.gov.

As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.