Sen. Rick Williams

Maddy summarySB 199 prevents Georgia's State Ethics Commission from accepting or rejecting complaints against election candidates during the final 60 days before an election. It requires all campaign finance reports for local officials to be filed directly with the commission (instead of local offices), standardizes reporting deadlines across all election levels, and prohibits the commission from publicly releasing home addresses of officials. The bill also updates lobbyist reporting schedules to be more uniform and revises requirements for political action committees. These changes streamline transparency processes while limiting last-minute campaign finance disputes.

Maddy summarySB 69, the "Georgia Courts Access and Consumer Protection Act," prohibits courts from considering a driver’s failure to wear a seat belt as evidence of negligence or fault in car accident lawsuits. It also prevents insurance companies from canceling coverage or raising rates due to not wearing a seat belt. The law amends Georgia’s seat belt statute (Code Section 40-8-76.1) to explicitly block such evidence and insurance penalties, effective January 1, 2026. This directly affects drivers involved in civil cases related to vehicle accidents and insurers handling those claims. The bill repeals conflicting laws but does not apply to cases already pending before its effective date.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 5 of Title 42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to conditions of detention generally relative to correctional institutions of state and counties, so as to provide consent for the release of certain criminal history, vocational, and educational information for inmates upon release; to provide for issuance of an identification card and a Program and Treatment Completion Certificate; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 31-10-14 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to issuance of a new birth certificate following adoption and legitimation or paternity determination, so as to provide for the issuance of a copy of the original birth certificate to certain adult persons who were adopted; to provide for a fee; to provide for the form of such copy; to standardize terminology relating to birth certificates; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 18 of Title 43 of the O.C.G.A., relating to funeral directors and establishments, embalmers, and crematories, so as to provide for the organic human reduction as a means of disposing of deceased human bodies; to amend Titles 10, 31, and 36 of the O.C.G.A., relating to commerce and trade, health, and local government, respectively, so as to require a disposition permit for the organic human reduction of a dead human body or fetus; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend various titles of the O.C.G.A., so as to modernize and update provisions creating certain boards, panels, authorities, centers, commissions, committees, councils, task forces, and other such bodies; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 52 of Title 31 of the O.C.G.A., relating to terminally ill patient's right to try investigational drugs, biological products, and devices, so as to expand access to individualized investigational treatments to patients who have severely debilitating or life-threatening illnesses; to provide for definitions; to provide for eligibility criteria; to provide for written informed consent; to allow certain manufacturers or eligible facilities to make available individualized investigational treatments; to provide that coverage is not mandatory; to prohibit the sanctions against a physician's license; to provide exemption to liability for certain charges; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-3-411 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions regarding tuition equalization grants at private colleges and universities, so as to revise the definition of approved school; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 16 of the O.C.G.A., relating to crimes and offenses, so as to revise threshold amounts of fentanyl and related substances necessary to constitute the offenses of possessing, selling, distributing, and manufacturing of such substances; to revise mandatory minimum departure provisions for defendants convicted of trafficking of substances in violation of Code Section 16-13-31, relating to trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs, marijuana, or methamphetamine and penalties; to amend various titles of the O.C.G.A., so as to provide for conforming changes; to provide for an effective date; to provide for applicability; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 10-1-393 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to unfair or deceptive practices in consumer transactions unlawful and examples, so as to provide increased consumer protection for homeowners entering into contracts with contractors following natural disasters; to provide for certain contractual requirements; to provide for notice language; to amend Code Section 33-6-5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices, so as to prohibit the assignment of benefits in certain circumstances; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for legislative findings; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.