| My House colleagues and I returned to the Gold Dome on Monday, March 23, for Legislative Day 36, marking the start of week 11 and the second to last week of the 2026 legislative session. It was another action-packed work week, including three legislative days and two committee workdays, as the House continued working diligently to advance bills and resolutions before the legislative session comes to an end. Sine Die is on April 2 and marks the last opportunity for bills to pass both chambers and be sent to the governor’s desk for his signature or veto this year. Any legislation that does not receive final passage by this deadline cannot become law this year, making the final days of session among the busiest and most consequential.
Last week, the House unanimously passed Senate Bill 542, legislation aimed at strengthening punishments for individuals who abuse positions of spiritual trust. Specifically, the bill would create the offenses of improper sexual conduct by a clergy member in both the first and second degrees. A clergy member—defined as a minister, priest, rabbi, imam or similar functionary of a bona fide religious organization—would be guilty of such offense if they knowingly engage in sexually explicit conduct or sexual contact with a victim through coercion or intimidation while acting within a pastoral counseling or spiritual authority relationship. SB 542 would define this counseling or spiritual authority relationship as a situation in which the clergy member provides spiritual guidance, religious instruction, mentoring or emotional or spiritual support and is viewed as having influence, trust or authority over another person’s spiritual, emotional or personal well-being. An individual convicted of improper sexual contact by a clergy member in the first degree would face imprisonment between one to 25 years and a fine of up to $100,000. An individual convicted of improper sexual contact by a clergy member in the second degree would, upon a first conviction, be punished for a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. Upon a second or subsequent conviction, the offense would be elevated to a felony, punishable by imprisonment between one to five years. Lastly, SB 542 would establish a 15-year statute of limitations, ensuring victims and survivors have additional time to come forward. By establishing these clear penalties and definitions, the bill reinforces the seriousness of abusing positions of spiritual authority and the breach of trust between a clergy member and a congregant.House Bill 1009 received final passage in the General Assembly this week and has been sent to Governor Brian Kemp’s desk for consideration. The legislation, which passed in the House earlier this session, would require that all public-school students in grades nine through 12 be prohibited from accessing personal electronic devices—such as smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, headphones and other communication or internet-enabled devices—during the school day, beginning no later than July 1, 2027. However, students would be able to access devices as necessary if they have an Individualized Education Program, Section 504 Plan or medical plan that explicitly mandates the use of a personal electronic device for medical or educational purposes. HB 1009 would also require each school system to adopt and update policies that continue to prohibit bell-to-bell access to personal devices and continue to establish secure storage options like lockers, locked pouches or designated classroom locations by January 1 of each year. If this bill is signed into law, we expect to see improved student focus and reduced classroom distractions, leading to stronger academic outcomes as schools adopt this policy.
The House also gave final passage to Senate Bill 220, the Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act, which would modernize and expand Georgia’s medical cannabis program. The bill would broaden the forms of medical cannabis available to patients to include vaporization, oils and raw plant materials. It would also shift from a percentage-based THC cap to milligram-based dosing and adjust the per-package limit to 1,200 milligrams to better align with modern medical practices and help ensure a stable supply for patients. Additionally, the bill would expand the list of qualifying conditions to include cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, HIV and lupus. Overall, SB 220 would streamline access to medical cannabis for patients across Georgia and allow more Georgians to benefit from this treatment, while also ensuring the program keeps pace with current medical standards.
The House also passed legislation aimed at protecting Georgians, particularly minors, from the harmful misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) through Senate Bills 540 and 594. Senate Bill 540 focuses on AI-powered companion chatbots—tools designed to simulate ongoing relationships with users—and would establish important safeguards for minors. The bill would require clear disclosure when users are interacting with AI, mandate age verification for explicit content and require platforms to implement protections against sexually explicit or misleading interactions. The bill would also mandate parental control tools, protocols for responding to self-harm prompts and restrictions on engagement tactics that encourage excessive use by minors. Subsequently, Senate Bill 594 addresses the growing concern over deceptive AI use in elections and online exploitation. The bill would create new criminal offenses for fraudulent election interference involving AI-generated or materially deceptive media used within 90 days of an election with the intent to mislead voters. Importantly, the bill would clarify that AI-generated content in campaign materials would remain lawful when proper disclosures are included. Additionally, SB 594 would strengthen protections against exploitation by criminalizing the distribution of AI-generated obscene material depicting a minor, with penalties of one to 15 years in prison, and it would prohibit the use of AI to impersonate others online for the purpose of deception, harm or fraud. The legislation would further enhance penalties for a wide range of existing crimes when AI is used, with the goal of reinforcing accountability and helping ensure these emerging technologies are not used to harm individuals or undermine public trust. Together, these two measures aim to ensure that rapidly advancing AI technologies are used responsibly by establishing clear safeguards, protecting vulnerable populations and preventing their misuse.
House Bill 974, the House’s version of the FY 2027 budget, is set by a revenue estimate of $38.5 billion, an increase of $738 million, or 1.95 percent, over the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026) budget. HB 974 makes significant investments in education, including fully funding the Quality Basic Education (QBE) program at a total of $14.9 billion in state funds, providing $5.5 million for the Special Needs Scholarship and allocating more than $60 million to a statewide literacy initiative. The House’s version of the FY 2027 budget also addresses key areas such as Medicaid, providing funding for the state’s correctional system, fully funding the state’s pension obligations, supporting economic development and continuing to make noteworthy investments for Georgia’s transportation needs.
Notable Legislation:
House Bill 1199, which, most importantly, will temporarily suspend Georgia’s excise tax on motor fuel for 60 days. This suspension comes at a critical time as Georgians have faced sharp increases in gas prices amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, placing added financial strain on families and business across the state. Prices at the pump will begin to reflect this change in the coming days as retailers receive new shipments of motor fuel. Georgia’s excise tax on gasoline is currently 33.3 cents per gallon and 37.3 cents per gallon of diesel. My colleagues and I were proud to join Governor Brian Kemp on Friday as he signed this important legislation into law, immediately enacting the gas tax suspension and delivering swift, meaningful relief to Georgians feeling the impact of rising fuel costs.
House Bill 1000, which Gov. Kemp also signed in to law, provides a one-time income tax refund to eligible Georgians who filed individual income tax returns for both the 2024 and 2025 tax years by the applicable deadlines. Once a taxpayer files their 2025 return, the Georgia Department of Revenue will issue a refund equal to the lesser of the taxpayer’s 2024 Georgia income tax liability or a set amount based on filing status: $250 for single filers or married individuals filing separately, $375 for heads of household and $500 for married couples filing jointly. This legislation is one of Gov. Kemp’s legislative priorities this session and was funded in House Bill 973, the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 (AFY 2026) budget. This is the fourth year in a row that the General Assembly has passed legislation to provide one-time tax refunds to return money to eligible Georgians and ensure families directly benefit from the state’s continued economic growth.
Senate Bill 399, the Mason Sells AED Coordination Act. This legislation aims to expand access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and provide emergency call centers with both AED location information and high-quality telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR) guidance for Georgians experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Under SB 399, all emergency communications officers would be required to be trained in T-CPR and instructed on how to guide 9-1-1 callers in using AEDs. The bill would also create a comprehensive map of all AED locations, which would be made available to 9-1-1 operators. When a sudden cardiac arrest is reported, 9-1-1 operators would use the map to quickly direct callers to the nearest AED, reducing the critical time that could be lost searching for or locating a device. Once a device has been located by the caller, trained 9-1-1 operators would then guide the callers on how to correctly use the device. By providing Georgia’s 9-1-1 callers with immediate access to AED locations and clear, step-by-step instructions, the Mason Sells AED Coordination Act would help save precious minutes during a sudden cardiac emergency and encourage bystanders to take life-saving action, such as performing CPR or using an AED before emergency responders arrive.
Senate Bill 452 also received final passage in the House and will increase employer contributions to qualifying 401(k) accounts for Georgia’s law enforcement officers, helping ensure that those who dedicate their careers to protecting others would be supported well beyond their years of active service. Importantly, SB 452 would establish a structured contribution framework in which, beginning on July 1, 2026, officers with at least five years of creditable service—defined as state law enforcement officers who are peace officers employed by the Department of Community Supervision or sworn officers certified by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council—would receive an additional employer contribution equal to two percent of compensation for each year of service beyond five years. Officers participating in the program would be required to contribute a minimum of five percent of their salary, with total employer contributions increasing incrementally up to 15 percent. SB 452 reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that those who serve and protect Georgians are supported not only during their careers but also in retirement with the benefits they have rightfully earned.
We also passed the following Senate bills during the 10th week of the 2026 legislative session:
- Senate Bill 160 – allows certain drivers whose licenses have been suspended for reckless stunt driving to apply for a limited driving permit that would require the use of an intelligent speed assistance device—a constant monitoring device installed within a motor vehicle to actively monitor and prevent the driver from exceeding a preset speed.
- Senate Bill 177 – creates definitions for agents of hostile foreign principals, foreign supported political organizations and hostile foreign countries as designated by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The bill would prohibit individuals or organizations from engaging in political activities on behalf of these foreign entities unless they have properly registered with the State Ethics Commission.
- Senate Bill 216 – requires individuals hired as director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission starting July 1, 2026, to become members of the Judicial Retirement System (JRS).
- Senate Bill 284 – amends the Georgia Uniform Securities Act of 2008 to allow for the return of funds to investors, customers and clients in cases involving certain violations.
- Senate Bill 285 – requires each county and municipal corporation to remit one and a half percent of all funds distributed to them from insurance premium tax collections to the Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund.
- Senate Bill 293 – enhances penalties and oversight related to fraud in Georgia’s used motor vehicle industry by classifying certain acts as felonies, including issuing fraudulent license plates or decals, falsifying title or lien information and tampering with odometers, while increasing the minimum fine for odometer fraud from $1,500 to $10,000. The bill would also increase misdemeanor penalties for license plate provisions—such as altering, concealing or improperly displaying a plate—to include fines of up to $750 and/or up to 12 months in jail, and it would also remove existing misdemeanor language for improper display of temporary permits.
- Senate Bill 384 – establishes an optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation decal for eligible vehicles, provided all state and local ad valorem taxes are paid in advance.
- Senate Bill 435 – replaces “Georgia Development Authority” with “Georgia Agricultural Development Authority” wherever it appears in current state law;
- Senate Bill 439 – requires disclosure to a prospective resident or an authorized representative if a referral agency obtains a referral fee from an assisted living community or personal care home;
- Senate Bill 444 – defines terms related to artificial intelligence (AI) and would permit private review agents to incorporate AI tools into their utilization review plans. The bill would clarify that AI driven decisions could not be the sole reason for denying coverage and could not replace the independent judgment of a qualified clinical reviewer;
- Senate Bill 524 – creates two new specialty license plates: one commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence and another honoring the Girl Scouts of Georgia, and funds would go to the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia;
- Senate Bill 551 – repeals and reserves certain provisions of current state law relating to the standards, labeling and adulteration of eggs;
- Senate Bill 553 – creates the State Construction Industry Licensing Board under the Secretary of State’s Office for administrative purposes. The board would consist of 27 members and would be comprised of electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors, utility contractors and two members who have no connection with these professions. All members would be appointed by the governor, confirmed by the Senate and would serve on the board for four years. The board would have the power to request information from state agencies, provide regulation for reciprocity with other states, establish rules and regulations and assess civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation of any requirement or rule of the board. The bill would create divisions under the board for electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors and utility contractors, and each division would be responsible for their own licenses. Each division would approve examination requirements, register and license or grant a certificate and issue renewal licenses and renewal certificates biennially, investigate alleged violations, reprimand any person who is found out of compliance with rules and regulations and review minimum standards. The bill would add specific requirements for each profession to receive a license. A committee under the board would also determine if any current or former member of the military has received military training that could fulfill the requirements necessary to receive a license.
The House will return to the State Capitol on Monday, March 30, for the final week of 2026 legislative session. Legislative Day 40, also known as Sine Die, will take place on Friday, April 2. In the days leading up to this deadline, we expect to work late into the evening and likely into the early morning hours on Legislative Day 40, as it marks the last opportunity for bills and resolutions to pass both chambers and be eligible to become law this year. Before the session comes to an end, I encourage you to reach out to me regarding any pending legislative measures that are important to you or your family. During these final days of the 2026 legislative session, I will continue to monitor legislation and how it will impact our community, and I encourage you to stay informed as we wrap up our final session days under the Gold Dome. You can reach my Capitol office at 404-656-5125 and via email at Stan.Gunter@house.ga.gov.
As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your state representative for the 2025–2026 legislative term.
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