March 7, 2025 Edition

Yesterday was one of the most critical days of Georgia’s legislative session—Crossover Day. Yesterday marked the final opportunity for a bill to clear its Chamber of origin and remain eligible for the Governor's signature this year. Note: Since we are sending our updates email now, we will not be sending out an update on Monday, but will resume our normal schedule Monday, March 17th

We were fully engaged at the Capitol, working with legislators, strategizing to advance our priorities, and standing firm against dangerous policies that threaten Georgia families and communities. Yesterday was “all hands on deck” as we worked to protect truth in law and policy.

So far this session we’ve seen victories in:

Restoring Religious Freedom Protections Through the Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Protecting Women’s Sports from Biological Males

Defining What it Means to be a Woman and a Man

Clarifying Georgia Code to Define Sex and Replace Gender

Prohibiting Puberty Blockers for Minors for Gender Transition

Tort Reform

Safeguarding our Children from Radical Gender Ideology

Banning Taxpayer-Funded Gender-Transition Procedures and Therapies

Strengthening Enforcement Against Illegal Immigration

Expanding School Choice and Opportunity Scholarships for Georgia Families

Ensuring Accountability for AI-Generated Child Exploitation Materials

Cutting Red Tape to Support Small Businesses and Economic Growth

Cracking Down on Fentanyl Distribution to Protect our Communities

AND MUCH MORE!

However, the fight isn’t over—we now shift our efforts to advancing these bills through the opposite chamber to ensure they become law.

Here’s some updates from yesterday…

Supported Bills That Were Up for a Vote:

HB 111 - Passed

HB 150 - Passed

HB 217 - Passed

HB 328 - Passed

HB 430 - Passed

SB 17 - Passed

SB 33 - Passed

SB 57 - Failed

SB 61 - Passed

SB 93 - Passed

SB 179 - Passed

SB 213- Passed by Sub

SB 254 - Passed by Sub

Bills That Did Not Move Yesterday, But the Fight Isn’t Over:

HB 133, “Student Character Development Act”, sponsored by Rep. David Clark

HB 675, the STOP act, sponsored by Rep. Carmen Rice

SB 248, our comprehensive education bill, sponsored by Sen. Clint Dixon

Although HB 133 passed out of committee Wednesday afternoon with bipartisan support, it did not make it to the House floor yesterday, despite our tireless efforts to get it on the Crossover debate calendar. While HB 675 gained momentum and cleared committee as well, it didn’t make it to the House floor before the Crossover deadline either. SB 248, our comprehensive education bill, was not able to make it out of committee and make it to the floor before Crossover. We will continue to navigate the legislative process with an aim to advance these issues.

Bills of Concern:

SB 220 - Passed the Senate. “Putting Georgia's Patients First Act” expands Georgia’s medical marijuana program and raises the THC content from 5% to 50%, all without support from major medical associations or FDA approval.

HB 428 – Passed the House. Provides blanket, unregulated protections for IVF usage. While IVF is legal in Georgia, we urge caution over providing proactive affirmation of an incredibly profitable industry that discards more than 90% of the human life it creates.

Gambling Expansion STOPPED

Through relentless advocacy, strategic lobbying, and speaking out, we successfully halted yet another attempt to expand gambling in Georgia. Despite a well-funded push to legalize sports betting, our efforts helped defeat HR 450 and HB 686 from even getting to the House floor for a vote.

While the fight isn’t over, this victory is a crucial win and proves that our voices matter. However, we also know this is a recurring battle, and this defeat is never final. We remain steadfast in opposing gambling expansion at every turn, standing strong for Georgia families and communities against the harmful consequences of this industry.

Updates from Earlier This Week

HB 340 - Sponsored by Representative Scott Hilton, the “Distraction-Free Education Act” which prohibits the use of personal electronic devices at school and school sponsored events by students in kindergarten through eighth grade, passed the House on Tuesday.

SB 9 - Sponsored by Senator John Albers, “Ensuring Accountability for Illegal AI Activities Act” passed the Senate on Tuesday by substitute.

SB 30 - Sponsored by Senator Ben Watson, prohibiting puberty blockers in minors passed the Senate on Monday with bipartisan support.

SB 36 (RFRA) - Sponsored by Senator Ed Setzler, Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed the Senate on Tuesday.

SB 74 - Sponsored by Senator Max Burns eliminates protection for libraries when dealing with harmful and obscene materials passed the Senate on Tuesday.

SB 91 - Sponsored by Senator Blake Tillery, would prohibit the Board of Community Health from renewing or entering a contract with any pharmacy benefits manager who owns or has ownership in any retail pharmacy, passed the Senate on Tuesday.

SB 126 - Sponsored by Senator Clint Dixon, which adds a minimum age requirement to qualify as a dropout and reduce the age for individuals to be eligible for enrollment in completion special schools, passed the Senate on Tuesday.

SB 154 - Sponsored by Senator Bo Hatchett would revise or remove references to the United States Department of Education from the OCGA, passed the Senate on Tuesday.

SB 185 - Sponsored by Senator Randy Robertson prohibiting the use of state funds for inmates who want sex reassignment surgeries, hormone replacement therapies, and cosmetic procedures passed the Senate on Monday with bipartisan support.

We appreciate the leadership of Speaker Burns, Lt. Governor Jones, and our dedicated sponsors and allies. Crossover was a monumental day!

Your engagement—through prayers, advocacy, and financial support—makes all the difference and help us keep up the fight. Stand with us as we work to secure lasting victories for Georgia families. [[link removed]]

ALL FRONTLINE ENDORSED BILLS (to date):

SB 1 - “Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act” sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal. (Passed Senate; Awaiting House Education Committee Approval)

SB 9 - “Ensuring Accountability for Illegal AI Activities Act” sponsored by Sen. John Albers (Passed Senate; Awaiting House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee Approval)

SB 17 - “Ricky and Alyssa's Law” sponsored by Sen. Jason Anavitarte (Passed Senate Education and Youth Committee)

SB 21 - Tightens up illegal immigration enforcement sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Passed Senate; Awaiting House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee Approval)

SB 22 - Improves government transparency and education accountability sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Passed Senate Education & Youth Committee)

SB 28 - “Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025” sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal (Passed Senate)

SB 30 - Prohibits the use of hormone treatments in minors for purposes of gender transition, sponsored by Sen. Ben Watson (Passed Senate)

SB 36 - Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), sponsored by Sen. Ed Setzler (Passed Senate)

SB 39 - Prevents tax payer dollars from funding gender affirming surgeries, sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Passed Senate)

SB 42 - Closes loophole on human trafficking convictions, sponsored by Sen. Bo Hatchett (Passed Senate)

SB 57 - The “Freedom of Speech and Belief Act” sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Failed in Senate)

SB 61 - Expanding superior court jurisdiction to include terroristic threats involving schools and attempts or conspiracies to commit murder and certain offenses by children aged 13 to 17 sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolzezal (Passed Senate)

SB 72 - “Hope for Georgia Patients Act" sponsored by Sen. Matt Brass (Passed Senate)

SB 74 - Eliminating protection for libraries when dealing with harmful materials sponsored by Sen. Max Burns (Passed Senate)

SB 79 - “Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act" sponsored by Sen. Russ Goodman (Passed Senate; Awaiting House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee Approval)

SB 89 - Childcare tax credit sponsored Sen. Brian Strickland (Passed Senate)

SB 91 - Addressing conflicts of interest in the management of pharmacy benefits sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery (Passed Senate)

SB 93- Prohibit public schools from using the three-cueing system or visual memory as methods for teaching word reading sponsored by Sen. RaShaun Kemp (Passed Senate)

SB 102 - Dogfighting restrictions sponsored by Sen. Randy Robertson (Passed Senate)

SB 120 - Eliminating state-funded DEI initiatives at public educational institutions sponsored by Sen. Marty Harbin (Senate Higher Education Committee Tabled)

SB 123 - Addresses compulsory attendance sponsored by Senator John F. Kennedy (Passed Senate)

SB 126 - Lowering the age of eligibility for enrollment in completion special schools sponsored by Senator Clint Dixon (Passed Senate)

SB 152 - “Georgia Promise Scholarship Act” eligibility expansion sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal (Passed Senate)

SB 154 - Removes references to the United States Department of Education from the Official Code of Georgia sponsored by Sen. Bo Hatchett (Passed Senate)

SB 175 - Prohibit ranked choice voting sponsored by Sen. Randy Robertson (Passed the Senate)

SB 179 - Transferring student’s academic and disciplinary records to new school administration within 10 days sponsored by Sen. Clint Dixon (Passed Senate)

SB 185 - Prohibit the use of state funds or resources for gender-reassignment treatments for state inmates sponsored by Sen. Randy Robertson (Passed Senate)

SB 213 - Prohibit commercial cheating services from providing certain work products to students and certain examinees sponsored by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (Passed Senate)

SB 254 - Delta-9-THC limitations sponsored by Sen. Bill Cowsert (Passed Senate)

HB 111 - Reduction of Georgia state income tax sponsored by Rep. Soo Hong (Passed House)

HB 133 - “Student Character Development Act” sponsored by Rep. David Clark (Passed House Education Committee)

HB 150 - “Combating Threats from Foreign Countries of Concern Act of 2025" sponsored by Rep. Tim Fleming (Passed House)

HB 171 - Closing loophole on distributing AI obscene material depicting a child sponsored by Rep. Brad Thomas (Passed House)

HB 192 - Adding high-demand career programs to the State Board of Education’s curriculum sponsored by Rep. Matt Gambill (Passed House)

HB 205 - Government drone regulation and cybersecurity protection sponsored by Rep. David Clark (Passed House)

HB 217 - Establishing the Dual Achievement Program as a permanent state initiative sponsored by Rep. Soo Hong (Passed House)

HB 253 - “Ethan’s Law” sponsored by Rep. David Clark (Passed House)

HB 260 - Increasing the statewide homestead exemption from property taxes for state, county, and certain school purposes from $2,000 to $5,000 sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves (Passed House Ways & Means Committee)

HB 267 - The “Riley Gaines Act” sponsored by Rep. Josh Bonner (Passed House, Awaiting Senate Judiciary Committee Approval)

HB 307 - A children’s literacy bill sponsored by Rep. Bethany Ballard (Passed House)

HB 328 - Raises the total amount of tax credits available for people and businesses that donate to student scholarship organizations (SSOs) sponsored by Rep. Kasey Carpenter (Passed House)

HB 340 - “Distraction-Free Education Act” sponsored by Rep. Scott Hilton (Passed House)

HB 350 - Baby Box bill sponsored by Rep. Mike Cameron (Passed House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee)

HB 430 - Sexual offender registry consistency between states by Rep. Steven Sainz (Passed House)

HB 671 - STOP Act sponsored by Rep. Carmen Rice (Passed House Judiciary)

If you are interested in testifying or joining our Legislative Advocacy Team please reply to this email!

Also, for legislators and allies, please contact me to let me know if you request Frontline’s endorsement for a particular piece of legislation. While we monitor all bills that have been introduced, there may be legislation that we are open to supporting that are not currently on our list.

In Faith and Action,

Chelsea Thompson

General Counsel, Frontline Policy

[email protected]

[[link removed]]

Donate [[link removed]] Forward [link removed]

© 2024 Frontline Policy Council

15 Perry St., Ste 373

Newnan, Georgia 30263

Unsubscribe [link removed]