UNDER THE GOLD DOME

LEGISLATIVE WEEK 5

A PRODUCTIVE WEEK

My colleagues and I returned to the Georgia State Capitol on Monday, February 9, to kick off the fifth week of the 2026 legislative session. This week, we were in session for four legislative days, and the House Rules Committee remained busy throughout the week, placing several bills on the Rules Calendar each day for consideration on the House floor. As a result, we were highly productive, passing and adopting a total of 23 bills and resolutions. As the legislative session continues, our days on the House floor will get busier and longer as we work toward the critical deadline of Crossover Day—Legislative Day 28—which marks the final opportunity for bills and resolutions to pass out of their originating chamber and remain eligible to be signed into law during this legislative session. 

NOTABLE LEGISLATION -- SUBSTANCE ABUSE RECOVERY

On Monday, the Georgia House passed House Bill 657—a meaningful step toward enhancing mental health and substance use recovery services in our state. This bipartisan bill would formally define certified peer specialists in state law as those who have lived experience and are trained to provide ongoing support to individuals and families receiving mental health or substance use recovery services. HB 657 would require peer specialists to be certified through the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), helping to ensure consistency and quality of care statewide. HB 657 would also establish standards and requirements for recovery community organizations (RCOs)—nonprofit organizations led and governed by local communities that support individuals, families and communities affected by substance use disorders by increasing access to peer support services, advocacy efforts for recovery and community education around addiction and recovery. Under the bill, RCOs would be required to have a mission focused on recovery, operate as nonprofit entities, maintain a governing board with a majority of members in recovery, provide nonclinical peer support services and employ certified peer specialists.

EDUCATION UPDATE -- HELPING STUDENTS GRADUATE

This week, we also unanimously passed legislation that seeks to improve educational outcomes and graduation rates in Georgia. House Bill 907 would make several updates to the Completion Special Schools Act by revising certain procedures for Georgia’s completion special schools—formerly known as alternative schools. These public, non-traditional schools are designed to help students in grades nine through 12 who have dropped out, or are at risk of dropping out, earn their high school diploma. These schools provide supportive programs and offer flexible, self-paced learning options, including evening and weekend classes, to meet students where they are. HB 907 would help ensure continuity of services for students as Georgia’s network of completion special schools continues to expand—an effort reflected in the House’s version of the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 (AFY 2026) budget, House Bill 973, which includes $1.7 million to support the creation of a new completion special school in the Columbus region. As new completion schools come online, the bill would direct the State Board of Education to establish a reasonable transition period to allow students to transfer to the new completion special school.

SPONSORED LEGISLATION

Because the Georgia General Assembly operates on a two year cycle, bills introduced last year are still "alive" during this second year of the biennium. You can click on the red text of the bill number to read the text of each bill.

HOUSE BILL 372 -- This bill will allow teachers who have attained 30 years of creditable service to return to the classroom after certain qualifications have been met. This will allow school districts to ensure that quality teachers are in our classrooms. This program is already in place in Georgia, but it ends this June. HB 372 will ensure this program continues. This bill was heard during the interim in the Retirements Committee and an actuarial study was ordered. It was heard again this week in committee and passed out unanimously.

HOUSE BILL 487 --This bill will require that computer science become a graduation requirement beginning in 2031. At the end of last session this bill was merged with SB 179 sponsored by Senator Clint Dixon, and is now listed under that bill number. It passed the House last year, and is now waiting for the Senate to agree to an amendment.

HOUSE BILL 1181 -- This bill will cut red tape in the titling process when a family member inherits an an automobile.

HOUSE BILL 1220 -- This bill allows military students and students with IEPs, 504 plans, and other disabilities to waive some requirements for student scholarship organizations.

HOUSE PAGE PROGRAM

If your child is between the ages of 12 and 18 and would like to come participate in a House floor session, I would love to have them work with me one day as a House Page. They will see the inner workings of our governmental process, meet students from across the state, participate in a tour of the Capitol, and have fun! Their day at the Capitol will not be counted as a school absence. Please reach out to my administrative assistant at the link below to arrange this special day for your child. I can't wait to meet them!

LINKS AND INFORMATION

You can click the link below for our website and watch all our floor session days and committee meetings on livestream. If you want to catch up with previous years, all the meetings and floor sessions can be found in our archives. I look forward to continuing to represent your families, and I encourage you to contact me if you need assistance.