Sen. Drew Echols

Maddy summarySB 191 amends Georgia's unemployment benefits law to clarify notice requirements for claimants and the Department of Labor. It defines "issue date" as the date a benefit determination is mailed, delivered, or sent electronically with consent, requiring this date to be printed on all notices. The bill standardizes appeal deadlines to 15 days from the issue date for initial determinations, hearings, and board decisions, while allowing the Commissioner to adjust time limits through administrative rules (with due process). These changes apply to all unemployment benefit claims and appeals under Georgia law, effective January 1, 2026.

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 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 Article 6 of Chapter 7 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to liability for use of fertilizers, plant growth regulators, or pesticides, so as to clarify that a manufacturer cannot be held liable for failing to warn consumers of health risks above those required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency with respect to pesticides; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial relations, so as to phase out the payment of subminimum wage to persons with disabilities; to repeal provisions concerning exemptions to the state minimum wage law for persons with disabilities; to provide that no employer shall utilize a certificate issued by the United States Department of Labor pursuant to 29 U.S.C. Section 214(c) to pay individuals with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage; to provide exceptions; to provide for related matters; to provide a short title; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 5 of Chapter 9 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to Georgia State Indemnification Fund, so as to authorize the Department of Administrative Services to purchase annuities for the payment of indemnification claims; to provide for qualification standards for indemnification claims relating to certain deaths of public safety officers related to COVID-19; to provide for timing requirements for application of such indemnification claims; to provide for definitions; to provide for conforming changes; 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 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 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.