The Senate Rules Committee report submitted following Monday’s standing committee meeting.

They say March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, but “they” have never been in the Georgia State Capitol in the run-up to adjournment Sine Die. Monday morning’s meeting of the standing Senate Rules Committee was a case in point. In the hour before the convening of Legislative Day 38, the committee took up and passed not one, not two, but 14 substitutes to House measures, each incorporating Senate bills that have stalled or died. We’re still working to figure out everything that was included in the festival of Christmas trees, but it’s safe to say it’s going to be a long last week for lawmakers, lobbyists, and the #GoldDomeReport.

The final day of March was also filled with floor activity in the House and Senate, which continues as this Gold Dome Report is published. While the General Assembly is in adjournment on Tuesday, the endgame will begin to come into focus midday when the Senate Rules Committee is expected to set its final Rules Calendar of the 2025 Legislative Session. Then the dash to adjournment Sine Die on Friday will really begin.

In this Report:

• Floor Action
• New Legislation
• What’s Next

Floor Action

The House took up the following measures on Legislative Day 38:

• HB 113 - State government; prohibit the state or its agencies from purchasing goods from certain foreign countries or related entities - AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE 146-18

• HB 196 - State employees' health insurance plan; drugs dispensed for self-administration; provisions - AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE 166-0

• HB 199 - Courts; protection of personally identifiable information of judges and their spouses; modify provisions - AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE 164-0

• HB 208 - Special license plates; support state parks and historic sites; establish - AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE 164-0

• HB 307 - Quality Basic Education Act; students significantly at risk of not achieving grade level reading proficiency or with characteristics of dyslexia; include provisions - AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE 167-0

• HB 351 - Board of Natural Resources; modify powers and duties - AGREED TO SENATE AMENDMENT 163-0

• HB 551 - Motor vehicles; conditions, procedures, and limitations for issuance of temporary operating permits; provide - AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE AS AMENDED BY HOUSE 162-3

• SB 1 - 'Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act'; enact (Substitute) (Ed-Bonner-73rd) Dolezal-27th - PASSED 100-64

• SB 8 - Courts; arrest warrant requirements when juvenile courts are acting as courts of inquiry; provide (JudyJ-Ballinger-23rd) Kirkpatrick-32nd - FAILED 79-87 - MOTION TO RECONSIDER PASSED 94-74

• SB 69 - "Georgia Courts Access and Consumer Protection Act"; enact - AGREED TO SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 120-42

• SB 82 - "Local Charter School Authorization and Support Act of 2025"; enact (Substitute)(Ed-Hilton-48th) Dixon-45th - PASSED 107-62

• SB 93 - "Georgia Early Literacy Act"; the three-cuing system from inclusion in high-quality instructional materials or structured literacy; prohibit (Substitute)(Ed-Ballard-147th) Kemp-38th - PASSED 168-0

• SB 121 - Uninsured Motorist Coverage; minimum required under motor vehicle liability policies for a individual convicted of driving under the influence or reckless driving; increase (Ins-Lumsden-12th) Harbin-16th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 46 1220S) - PASSED 157-11

• SB 140 - Optometrists; doctors of optometry to dispense and sell pharmaceutical agents to patients under certain conditions; provide (Substitute) (Hth-Gambill-15th) Dolezal-27th - PASSED 166-0

• SB 141 - Revenue and Taxation; the appeal and protest period from 30 days to 45 days for tax assessments; extend (Substitute)(W&M-Hong-103rd) Hatchett-50th - PASSED 166-0

• SB 151 - "Joint Development Authority of North Fulton Municipalities Act"; enact (Substitute)(IGC-Jones-47th) Beach-21st - PASSED 101-63

• SB 170 - Georgia Interagency Council for the Homeless; create (Substitute) (GAff-O'Steen-169th) Jackson-41st - PASSED 165-3

• SB 256 - Electric Membership Corporation; disclose certain acquisitions and other information to its members within a certain time frame; require (EU&T-Martin-49th) Cowsert-46th - PASSED 163-1

The Senate took up the following measures on Legislative Day 38:

• HB 74 - Georgia Lottery for Education Act; correct a reference - PASSED 51-0

• HB 94 - Insurance; medically necessary expenses for standard fertility preservation services when a medically necessary treatment for cancer, sickle cell disease, or lupus may directly or indirectly cause an impairment of fertility; require coverage - PASSED 52-1

• HB 114 - Motor vehicles; federal regulations regarding safe operation of commercial motor vehicle and carriers; update reference date - PASSED 52-0

• HB 116 - Public Safety, Department of; Motor Carrier Compliance Division to Commercial Vehicle Enforcement; change name - PASSED 51-0

• HB 123 - Criminal procedure; pretrial proceedings in capital offense cases where the death penalty is sought when the accused has an intellectual disability; provide - PASSED 53-1

• HB 137 - Contracts; increase dollar value of certain public works contracts exempt from provisions relating to retention of contractual payments - PASSED 45-5

• HB 144 - Income tax; certain medical preceptor rotations; revise tax credit - PASSED 48-5

• HB 150 - Combating Threats from China Act of 2025 - Higher Education; enact - PASSED 32-19

• HB 153 - Sales and use tax; maintenance and replacement parts for certain machinery used to mix or transport concrete; extend exemption sunset date - PASSED 44-7

• HB 155 - Local government; selection and objection to arbitrators; revise procedures - PASSED 54-0

• HB 199 - Courts; protection of personally identifiable information of judges and their spouses; modify provisions - PASSED 54-0

• HB 268 - Education; safety, health, and well-being of students and school communities; provide - PASSED 45-9

• HB 288 - Appeal and error; declaratory judgments in instances involving accusations made by a prosecuting attorney regarding credibility of a peace officer; provide - PASSED 55-0

• HB 303 - Original 33 Memorial Act; enact - PASSED 52-0

• HB 495 - Education; Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation; repeal - PASSED 50-1

• SB 147 - Correctional Institutions of State and Counties; consent for the release of certain criminal history, vocational, and educational information for inmates upon release; provide - AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 51-0

• SR 7 - State Highway System; dedicate certain portions - AGREED TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 50-0

New Legislation

The following new legislation of interest has been introduced:

What’s Next

The General Assembly is in adjournment on Tuesday, April 1, for a Committee Workday and will reconvene for Legislative Day 39 on Wednesday, April 2, at 10 a.m.

The House and Senate have not yet set calendars for Legislative Day 39.