Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 568) is a symbolic recognition of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Canines For Kids Program by the Georgia Senate. It acknowledges the program's establishment in 2009 as the first of its kind in the U.S., its 18-month dog training process, and how 16 facility dogs provide comfort to young patients at four Atlanta hospitals. The resolution has no policy impact - it simply expresses the Senate's support for the program's role in helping children cope during medical care. The Senate passed it unanimously on January 14, 2026.

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending Cartrelia Denese Sampson on her outstanding service as a legislative assistant, serving many senators over the years with the Georgia Senate, and now, as the Director of Constituent Services with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 24A of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to massage therapy practice, so as to increase the number of education hours applicable to licensed massage therapists; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 14 of Title 40 of the O.C.G.A., relating to use of speed detection devices and red light cameras, so as to provide for standards for signs warning of a reduced speed limit in a school zone and signs warning of the use of automated traffic enforcement safety devices; to amend Title 15 of the O.C.G.A., relating to courts, so as to authorize district attorneys, solicitors-general, and prosecuting attorneys to enforce civil monetary penalties relative to the enforcement of laws regarding speeding in a school zone using recorded images; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Maddy summaryThis resolution creates a Joint Study Committee to examine Georgia's outdated 9-1-1 funding system, which dates to 1977 and was designed for landline phones. The committee, composed of legislative members from public safety and utilities committees plus state agency directors, will study how modern mobile/VoIP technology impacts 9-1-1 funding needs and recommend potential reforms. It will report findings by December 2025 but does not enact new funding or laws itself. The study directly affects Georgia's 9-1-1 centers and public safety infrastructure, as the current $1.50 per landline fee model no longer aligns with today's communication technology.

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 15 of the O.C.G.A., relating to courts, so as to provide for duties of the Administrative Office of the Courts relative to accessibility of certain personal information of state and federal judges, justices, and spouses thereof; to amend Code Section 36-32-40 of the O.C.GA., relating to creation of Council of Municipal Court Judges, membership and organization, purpose, expenses, contracts, assistance to council, and members not ineligible to hold office of judge, so as to require submission of certain information to the Council of Magistrate Court Judges; to provide for and revise definitions; 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 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 Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 7 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to insanity and mental incapacity, so as to require a hearing before a court orders an evaluation of the mental competency of an accused person to stand trial; to provide for the release of reports of such evaluations; to establish different procedures in cases where the subject has been accused only of one or more nonviolent misdemeanor offenses, including automatic dismissal in some cases, subject to exceptions; to provide for such different procedures and such exceptions; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

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.