Sen. Mike Hodges

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to ad valorem taxation of property, so as to provide for an extension of preferential assessment periods for certain historic properties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Maddy summarySB 291 creates a new "America First" specialty license plate in Georgia, featuring an American flag and the phrase "America First" to promote patriotism. Georgia drivers who choose this plate will pay an additional fee, with all proceeds deposited into the state's general fund. The bill requires 1,000 prepaid applications to continue manufacturing the plate after 2027; if this threshold isn't met by January 1, 2028, production stops. The plate becomes available starting January 1, 2026, and replaces conflicting laws. This is a standard specialty plate with no direct funding for specific organizations.

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 Title 20 of the O.C.G.A., relating to education, so as to provide generally for competitively fair and safe student participation in middle school, high school, and college sports; to promote fair and safe competition; to provide for equal athletic opportunities and safety; to provide for specific designations of teams operated or sponsored by local school systems, public schools, participating private schools, and postsecondary educational institutions in this state; to prohibit males from participating in interscholastic and intercollegiate competitions on teams designated as female; to prohibit females from participating in competition on intercollegiate teams designated as male, subject to exceptions; 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 Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program; to revise definitions; to provide for medical education funding to certain medical organizations facilities; to provide for a physician in certain residency or fellowship programs to be eligible for the service cancelable loan program; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act implementing the Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority, approved April 2, 1963 (Ga. L. 1963, p. 2826), as amended, particularly by an Act approved March 31, 1987 (Ga. L. 1987, p. 5391), which Act was enacted pursuant to an amendment to the Constitution set out at Ga. L. 1962, p. 810, so as to change the method of appointing the membership; to amend the term of office of such membership; to provide for qualification of members; 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 Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding the assessment and payment of costs of criminal proceedings, so as to provide for the award of reasonable attorney's fees and costs in a criminal case to the defendant upon such defendant making a successful motion to disqualify the prosecuting attorney for misconduct in connection with the case; to provide for procedures for assessing and paying such fees and costs; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; 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 16-1-3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions relative to crimes and offenses, so as to provide for a definition of law enforcement officer; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.