What to watch for in Georgia as contentious issues ‘cross over’ in the state Capitol

Crossover Day is an important benchmark for the session, but it’s not an impassable barrier. Bills that fall short have less of a chance of becoming law, but they aren’t completely dead because lawmakers can sometimes insert language from one bill that didn’t make the cut into another bill that is still “alive.”

Here’s a look at some of the most closely watched measures that could receive votes:

School Safety

After the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School last September, lawmakers made it their priority to prevent future attacks. The most likely bill to move is House Bill 268, which would instruct schools to create a plan identifying physical safety threats. It would also develop a database with information about students who have made credible threats, which has brought concerns about both data privacy and profiling of certain students. Schools would also have to hire a mental health coordinator to connect students experiencing behavioral health issues to resources.

Across the hall, Senate Bill 17 would require local school systems to implement a panic alert system to ensure real-time coordination between first responders in the event of a school security emergency. Democrats have their own ideas about how to keep students safe, mentally and physically, but with Republicans in the majority, those measures are unlikely to pass.

Guns

While legislation being pushed by Democrats limiting access to guns won’t gain traction this year, House Republicans are backing House Bill 79. That bill would give tax credits to people who buy gun safes, participate in weapons training courses or purchase other gun safety mechanisms.

A bill that would grant a tax holiday to those purchasing guns, ammunition, safes and other accessories at the beginning of deer hunting season passed the Senate earlier this session.

Health

Democrats’ and a few Republicans have advocated to expand Medicaid to more low-income Georgians, but any measure like that couldn’t get enough support among the Republican majority to pass and would likely be vetoed by Gov. Brian Kemp, who has refused to expand the state insurance system for low-income adults. However, smaller-scale efforts are still in play, including adding low-income family caregivers to the Medicaid rolls. The Legislature is also considering several measures to ease licensing requirements and enable more health care workers to practice in Georgia.

Five years after the coronavirus pandemic began, some lawmakers want to make access and education to vaccines more available. However, another bill would prevent COVID-19 from being used as the sole excuse someone is denied an organ transplant — a measure some critics say could undermine trust in vaccinations.

Immigration

It was already illegal for any city to enact “sanctuary” policies, which shield immigrants in the country without permission from deportation. After the death of nursing student Laken Riley last year on the University of Georgia campus, the Legislature hardened its stance on immigration, requiring county sheriffs to comply with detainer requests from the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement or face consequences. But some lawmakers still think more needs to be done.

A few measures would require jailers to collect the DNA of people accused of felonies or those who have received an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer. Another bill would prevent students without legal status from participating in dual enrollment programs.

Several bills would also take on threats from countries considered “foreign adversaries,” especially China. Sponsors say the measures would protect Georgia businesses from security threats they see as an extension of Chinese espionage. However, some critics have raised concerns the measures could lead to xenophobia of Asian Americans.

Wrongful convictions

For years, Georgians who spent decades in prisons for crimes they were later exonerated for have had to get a lawmaker to sponsor a bill on their behalf to receive any compensation from the state for being wrongfully convicted. Lawmakers view that process as laborious and are sometimes reluctant to take it on.

Bills in each chamber would move the compensation process out of the Legislature and instead task a third-party panel with determining if someone recently released from prison should be compensated and how much they would receive. Neither House Bill 533 nor Senate Bill 176 have received committee votes yet, but the House bill has support from Republican leadership and is expected to get votes early next week.

Transgender issues

Republican lawmakers have moved quickly this session to push several laws regulating transgender people. House Bill 267, which would require transgender student athletes to play sports according to the sex listed on their birth certificate, has not yet been voted out of the chamber. However, a similar version of the legislation, Senate Bill 1, was approved by that chamber earlier this year.

Senators are scheduled to vote on two additional bills Monday that regulate the medical care transgender people can receive. Senate Bill 185 would ban the use of public funds to pay for gender-affirming care for people in state prisons. Another effort, Senate Bill 30, would ban minors from receiving puberty blockers to aid in gender transition.

A Senate bill that would ban the State Health Benefits Plan from covering gender-affirming care for state employees and their family members has already passed the chamber.

Though several bills regulating transgender people are moving through the legislative process this year, one of the bills regulating athletic competition is most likely to become law.

Taxes and the Budget

If Georgia lawmakers do nothing else this session, they must pass a budget for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1. So far, they haven’t. But they’ve been busy crafting an amended ‘25 budget that includes hurricane relief, tax refunds, spending to fix state prisons and other priorities.

The House of Representatives held a series of hearings on Kemp’s proposed ‘26 budget and is expected to roll out its own version next week.

Staff Reporter David Wickert contributed to this article.

How to follow Crossover Day action

Thursday is Crossover Day at the Georgia General Assembly, when bills generally have to clear one chamber to have a good chance of becoming law.

To check on the progress of legislation as that crucial deadline nears, go to the Georgia bill tracker at ajc.com/bills.