Criminal Justice

in committee · Georgia · Senate Feb 19, 2026

SB 525: Juvenile Code; recording of all proceedings under the juvenile code; require

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to the juvenile code, so as to require the recording of all proceedings under the juvenile code; to establish the right of parties to obtain a full and complete record of proceedings under the juvenile code; to establish the right of the Department of Human Services to obtain a full and complete record of proceedings under the juvenile code in which it has been permitted to participate by the juvenile court; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires recording of juvenile court proceedings and access to records, enhancing transparency and accountability in juvenile justice proceedings.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice

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introduced · Georgia · House Feb 25, 2026

HB 1405: Courts; cognitive behavioral therapy for certain children in restrictive custody with the Department of Juvenile Justice; provide

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 6 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to delinquency, so as to provide for cognitive behavioral therapy for certain children in restrictive custody with the Department of Juvenile Justice; to provide for criteria and evaluation for participation; to require DJJ to provide such services; to provide for a minimum number of hours of provided therapy for such children; to require DJJ to annually produce a report on the provision of such services; to provide for contents and recipients of such report; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates cognitive behavioral therapy for juveniles in restrictive custody to improve rehabilitation outcomes, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing recidivism through therapeutic intervention.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates cognitive behavioral therapy (mental health service) for juveniles in custody, directly advancing mental health care access per bill's requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

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signed · Georgia · House May 12, 2026

HB 1283: Family Justice Center Act; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 13 of Title 19 and Chapter 16 of Title 17 of the O.C.G.A., relating to family violence and discovery, respectively, so as to authorize the creation of Family Justice Centers; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates Family Justice Centers to coordinate victim services and law enforcement response to domestic violence, advancing criminal justice reform through improved victim support and interagency collaboration.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence

introduced · Georgia · House Feb 9, 2026

HB 1207: Domestic relations; creation of a registry of recidivist domestic violence offenders; provide

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to domestic relations, so as to provide for the creation of a registry of recidivist domestic violence offenders; to provide for the maintenance of and access to such registry; to provide for clerks of court to provide information to the Georgia Crime Information Center; to provide for the registration of recidivist domestic violence offenders; to provide for the assessment of fees on recidivist domestic violence offenders; to provide for the removal of such offenders from the registry; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for immunity; to provide for definitions; to provide for applicability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates registry for repeat domestic violence offenders to track and prevent future offenses, reducing recidivism per criminal justice reform indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence

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introduced · Georgia · House Feb 18, 2026

HB 1311: Survivor Civil Protection Act; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 15 of Title 9 and Chapter 6 of Title 13 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to court and litigation costs and damages and costs generally, respectively, so as to prohibit courts from awarding attorney's fees to defendants who have been found guilty of or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to a sexual offense when the plaintiff is the victim of such offense; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePrevents defendants convicted of sexual offenses from recovering attorney fees from victims, protecting victims' civil rights in criminal justice context95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · Georgia · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SB 563: "Juvenile Second Chance Record Confidentiality Act"; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 9 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to access to hearing and records relative to the juvenile code, so as to provide for the automatic sealing of files and records in certain circumstances; to provide for exceptions; to provide a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAutomatically seals juvenile records to reduce barriers to rehabilitation and lower recidivism, aligning with criminal justice reform principles.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

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introduced · Georgia · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 1248: Georgia Cannabis Freedom and Integrity Act; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, so as to provide for the regulation, licensure, taxation, and use of cannabis; to authorize counties and municipal corporations to adopt certain ordinances; to amend Code Section 36-1-20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to ordinances for governing and policing of unincorporated areas of county, so as to authorize counties to adopt ordinances governing and punishing the possession of two ounces or less of marijuana; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly includes 'taxation' as a core component for cannabis regulation, directly engaging with tax policy under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill legalizes cannabis regulation, removing criminal penalties for possession/use and reducing incarceration - a key criminal justice reform. Directly amends criminal code to eliminate cannabis offenses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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in committee · Georgia · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 483: Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies; covered immigration officers to wear body cameras during public immigration enforcement functions; require

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding law enforcement officers and agencies, so as to require covered immigration officers to wear body cameras during public immigration enforcement functions; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires body cameras for immigration enforcement, enhancing accountability and transparency in law enforcement interactions per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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passed · Georgia · Senate Mar 27, 2026

SB 572: Criminal Prosecutions; an additional justification for use of force in defense of self or others; provide

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to justification and excuse in defenses to criminal prosecutions, so as to provide for an additional justification for use of force in defense of self or others; to amend Code Section 51-11-9 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to no duty to retreat and immunity in certain instances of threat or use of force, so as to extend immunity from civil liability in justified use of force cases to legal representatives and heirs of the person against whom force was used; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill expands self-defense justification in criminal prosecutions, enhancing defendant rights and aligning with civil rights protections in defense cases.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Georgia · House Feb 26, 2026

HB 1398: Georgia Child Care Alternatives, Resources, and Education Act; Trixtian's Law; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 17 of the O.C.G.A., relating to arrest by law enforcement officers generally, so as to revise provisions relating to the arrests of pregnant women; to provide that women who have been arrested are offered pregnancy testing within a certain time of detention; to provide limitations on the use and disclosure of such information; to provide for bond; to provide for bond limitations; to amend Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 42 of the O.C.G.A., relating to inmate policies, so as to revise provisions relating to the treatment during incarceration of pregnant and postpartum women; to provide for definitions; to establish certain sentencing requirements for pregnant and postpartum women; to provide for related matters; to provide for short titles; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates pregnancy testing for arrested pregnant women with privacy protections, advancing civil rights in criminal justice processing.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Sentencing

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