Today is Sine Die at the Georgia State Capitol, the final day of the legislative session when lawmakers must give final approval to bills if they are to become law this year. The term “Sine Die” is Latin for “without a day,” meaning the General Assembly adjourns without setting a date to return for the current session.

According to State Rep. Eddie Lumsden, lawmakers entered this final week after several busy days of committee work and floor votes, with the House moving quickly to advance major legislation before the deadline. By the end of last week, the General Assembly had reached Legislative Day 38, leaving just one day before the close of the 2026 session.

Lumsden said the House spent much of the week focused on legislation involving public safety, education, health care, and protections for vulnerable Georgians. Measures highlighted in his update included bills addressing clergy abuse, human trafficking, artificial intelligence safeguards, expanded mental health care access, and updates to Georgia’s medical cannabis program.

He also pointed to education-related legislation involving student device restrictions, advanced math opportunities, retired teachers returning to high-need classrooms, student mental health awareness, and changes affecting charter and nontraditional schools. Lumsden said the final day of the session is one of the most important of the year, since any legislation that does not win final passage by the end of Sine Die cannot become law in 2026.

You can read Senator Lumsden’s complete report below:

My House colleagues and I returned to the Gold Dome on Monday, March 23, for Legislative Day 36, marking the start of the 11th and 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. The Georgia General Assembly completed Legislative Day 38 by the end of the week, leaving just one legislative day before we reachLegislative Day 40, or Sine Die, on April 2.As the final day of the legislative session, Sine Die 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.

This 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 asituation 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 twelve 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 focusand reduced classroom distractions, leading to strongeracademic outcomes as schools adopt this policy.

To prevent Georgians who are struggling with mental illness from becoming homeless, incarcerated or hospitalized,the House gave final passage to Senate Bill 428 this week with bipartisan support. This legislation seeks to address a critical gap for Georgians who are often overlooked—those with serious mental health needs who do not require institutional care but who are still struggling every day without consistent support. Many of these individuals cycle through hospital visits, emergency rooms, homelessness or even incarceration, not because help does not exist, but because the right level of care is not always accessible to meet their needs. SB 428 would allow the Georgia Department of Community Health to submit waiver requests to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on behalf of individuals over the age of 21 who need mental health services and have a history of incarceration, homelessness or hospitalization. While these individuals may not meet the threshold for institutionalization, many still require necessary, ongoing care. If approved, the waiver would authorize federal Medicaid reimbursement for home and community-based services designed to help manage an individual’s condition and prevent further crises, such as jail time, emergency room visits or housing instability. Ultimately, SB 428 would begin the process of shifting toward a more effective, proactive approach to mental healthcare in Georgia. Expanding access to these critical services is not just about convenience; SB 428 would help make it possible to improve outcomes by supporting earlierintervention and allowing individuals to receive prompt care. In turn, SB 428 would help stabilize lives before they reach a crisis point. SB 428 would also help reduce repeat hospitalizations, ease the strain on emergency rooms and even lower long-term costs for taxpayers. By increasing access to community-based treatment regardless of a person’s financial status, SB 428 would help ensure more Georgians receive the support they need, while reducing instances where individuals become incarcerated or need emergency care due to unmet mental health needs.

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. 

We also passed legislation this week to begin the process of conducting an in-depth review of the costs of Georgia’s foster care system through the adoption of Senate Resolution 622, which would create the Joint Study Committee on Evaluating Escalating Costs in Georgia’s Foster Care System. The committee would consist of 20 members, including one member appointed by the governor who has represented the state in dependency proceedings within the last six months, six members of the Georgia State Senate, six members of the Georgia House of Representatives and officials from the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department of Juvenile Justice and other related organizations. DHS, through its Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS), is the state agency responsible for caring for Georgia’s foster children and serving the child welfare population, and it currently has custody of nearly 10,000 foster children. A significant portion of DFCS’ work includes out-of-home care services, such as transportation and behavioral aides for foster children. Out-of-home care services totaled $141,309,251 in Fiscal Year 2025 and are projected to exceed $164,728,091 in Fiscal Year 2026, representing a 159 percent increase since 2022. This rapid rise in costs threatens the sustainability of existing programs from a state funding perspective, some of which was addressed through House Bill 973, the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which includes $81 million to address the budget deficit within DFCS and restore various foster care support contracts. SR 622 highlights that maximizing the use of all available provider networks and funding sources would help ensure Georgia’s foster care system operates in the best interests of all children in the system. For these reasons, it would be beneficial to create this joint study committee to examine the current framework for delivering out-of-home care and wraparound services, as well as all related costs, to determine future resource availability and identify efficiencies that would help achieve the best outcomes for foster children. If appointed, the joint study committee would hold several meetings during the interim and would be tasked with submitting a report of its findings and recommendations to the Georgia State Senate and Georgia House of Representatives, which could help inform legislation during the 2027 legislative session.

In support of individuals with autism and developmental disabilities, the House recognized Connor Tomlinson from Netflix’s “Love on the Spectrum” on the House floor on Wednesday as he advocated for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities and urged support for Senate Bill 433. Later that day, the Georgia House gave unanimous final passage to SB 433, also known as Rio’s Law, which would allow individuals with autism or other developmental disabilities to obtain a voluntary, specialized license plate and would create training for peace officers on best practices for interacting with individuals with these license plates. Beginning on January 1, 2027, Georgia drivers could request a specially designated “Autism Spectrum Disorder or Developmental Disability”license plate after submitting an affidavit of a practitioner of the healing arts—a person who holds a license to practice medicine or a person licensed to practice psychology—stating that the vehicle owner or a family member has autism spectrum disorder or a developmental disability. Under this bill, peace officers would also be required to attend basic training courses oninteractions with individuals with autism spectrum disorder or developmental disabilities. This training would include best practices for encounters and investigations involving individuals with autism or developmental disabilities, instruction on how to interact, techniques for recognizing these behavioral symptoms and characteristics, alternatives to physical restraints and protocols for contacting these individuals’ caregivers. The goal of creating this specialty license plate is to signal to law enforcement that a driver or passenger has autism or a developmental disability and may have alternate needs than an individual who does not have this specialty license plate. SB 433 also seeks to establish this training to ensure that law enforcement officers have the tools necessary to approach and interact with individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. It was an honor to have Connor Tomlinson join us in the House Chamber as my colleagues and I gave final passage to this critical bill. 

My colleagues and I also continued our efforts this week to combat human trafficking with the final passage of Senate Bill 547, legislation that would increase penalties for those who profit from exploitation. Under current state law, the first offenses of pimping or pandering are classified as high and aggravated misdemeanors. SB 547 would remove those current provisions to classify both pimping and pandering as felonies, regardless of whether they are a first or a subsequent offense. Individuals found guilty of pimping or pandering would faceimprisonment between one and 10 years. By removing the gap between first and repeat offenses, the bill would ensure that all violations are treated with the same level of seriousness, reinforcing accountability and deterring those who seek to exploit others for financial gain. Pandering, as defined in current state law, includes soliciting an individual to engage in prostitution or knowingly arranging for individuals to meet for the purpose of solicitation, further highlighting the importance of addressing these offenses directly. Building on years of work by the General Assembly to combat human trafficking, this legislation would send a clear message that the state intends to hold those who prey on the some of the state’s most vulnerable individuals accountable, while strengthening protections forthose most at risk.

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. 

Senate Bill 150 also passed this week, which seeks to strengthen our education workforce by extending the provision allowing retired public-school teachers in Georgia to return to the profession in areas of highest need, updating the program’s expiration to June 30, 2030. Under the bill, retired teachers with at least 30 years of creditable full-time service teaching pre-K through 12th grade would be eligible to return to the classroom. The bill would also allow for retired teachers to continue to receive their retirement allowance, as well as any post-retirement benefits that they may qualify for, alongside their teaching compensation. The bill characterizes areas of highest need as the three subjects with the highest rates of unfilled classroom teacher positions. These areas would be determined annually for each school system by the Department of Education after a meeting with the Professional Standards Commission (PSC). Examples of these areas of highest need include mathematics, special education, science, Career, Technical and Agricultural Education, reading, writing or English language arts. Retired teachers who wish to return to subjects of reading, writing or language arts would be required to hold a current dyslexia or reading endorsement approved by the PSC. SB 150 seeks to empower retired teachers to reenter the classroom, providing them with opportunities to continue their careers while strengthening Georgia’s education system by keeping classrooms fully staffed and supporting the needs of a growing student population.

We passed legislation this week that would make comprehensive updates to Georgia’s approach to nontraditional education programs, virtual learning and charter school policy, with an emphasis on accountability, access and long-term planning. Senate Bill 369 would require the State Board of Education to establish clear standards for nontraditional education programs—such as dropout recovery, credit recovery and flexible scheduling—including how their performance is measured and reported. SB 369 would also define and expand policies governing dropout recovery charter schools by setting separate accountability measures, outlining approval and evaluation processes and allowing existing charter schools to convert to this model. To broaden student access, the bill would amend the Dexter Mosley Act to include virtual school students, allowing them to participate in extracurricular and athletic activities at their local public schools. In addition, the measure would require local school systems to consider the total cost of ownership when purchasing instructional technology, including factors such as maintenance, durability and long-term value. Beginning in 2027, school systems would submit annual reports to the Georgia Department of Education detailing device usage, repair rates and associated costs, with the department compiling a statewide report for policymakers each year. Finally, it would establish procedures for the management and transfer of student records in the event a state charter school closes, ensuring continuity and proper handling of records. SB 369 represents a comprehensive effort to strengthen Georgia’s education system by improving accountability, expanding access to opportunities for all students and ensuring more strategic and transparent planning for the future.

On Friday, the House passed Senate Bill 589 to expand early education access and support student mental health across Georgia. SB 589 would give parents or guardians the choice to enroll their child in Georgia’s voluntary pre-K program for one school year if the child is four or five years old by September 1.The bill would also ensure that four- and five-year-olds are treated equally when competing for available pre-K slots, with these changes taking effect in the 2026–2027 school year. In addition, SB 589 incorporates language from House Bill 1045, the You Are Not Alone Awareness Act, which passed the House unanimously earlier this session to require public schools that issue student ID badges to students in grades six through 12 to include information about the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Badges issued on or after July 1, 2026, would include a message on the badge that directs students to call or text 9-8-8 at any time for support with suicidal thoughts, emotional distress or substance abuse challenges. By increasing access to early education and raising awareness of critical mental health resources, this legislation would help ensure Georgia students are both academically prepared—while allowing parents to determine their child’s readiness for school—and supported when they need it most.

House Bill 1030, the Math Matters Act, also received final passage this week. The legislation, which the House championed earlier this session, would expand advanced learning opportunities, increase core instructional time and improve teacher preparation by guaranteeing access to advanced math for students who are ready. By the start of the 2027–2028 school year, sixth through 10th grade students who score at the “distinguished learner” level on the statewide math assessment would be automatically placed on a pathway to advanced math. Importantly, local school systems would be required to provide a process for parents to opt their child out of automatic advanced math placement or request placement for students who score “proficient learner” at the end of grades six, seven, eight, nine or 10—provided the student meets local eligibility requirements, such as their math grade point average or demonstrated academic growth. HB 1030 would also require at least 60 minutes of daily core math instruction for fourth and fifth-grade students. Additionally, the bill would update teacher certification standards to ensure educators have both strong math content knowledge and evidence-based instructional strategies. The Math Matters Act underscores the importance of math proficiency by establishing measures to provide students with rigorous instruction in essential math skills.

We also passed the following bills from the Rules Calendarduring the 11th week of the 2026 legislative session: