The second session of the 157th Georgia General Assembly continued the trajectory of last year’s busy session under the leadership of House Speaker Jon Burns (R-159th) and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones (R). The General Assembly endeavored to address topics affecting Georgia ahead of an eventful 2024 general election. The bills passed by the General Assembly this year addressed a wide range of topics, including social media access by minors, land ownership by foreign nationals, and COAM machine regulation.
The General Assembly responded rapidly this year to address controversial election, criminal, and immigration topics in the wake of national news stories. Events like the arrests of “Stop Cop City” bail fund organizers preceded significant reforms to the state’s existing bond and recognizance laws, prohibiting organizations from posting bonds for more than three people without registering as bond agencies. Additionally, the high-profile murder of Athens nursing student Laken Riley preceded several bills addressing state immigration law and municipal “sanctuary city” policies. Further, the impending 2024 general elections spurred the General Assembly to make unprecedented changes to the makeup and responsibilities of the state’s Election Board. A number of these newly enacted laws have been challenged in court to resolve issues of constitutionality.
Other legislation represented the culmination of long-standing efforts to address issues faced by Georgians. The Safe at Home Act saw passage this session, which created a warranty of habitability—among other protections—for renters in Georgia for the first time. The Act’s passage resulted from years of work from grassroots activists, lobbyists, journalists, and legislators alike.
This year’s session has also been notable for the topics and bills that were not addressed. Press outlets predicted a strong possibility that the General Assembly would address Medicaid expansion after panels on the subject were held early in the session. The General Assembly opted not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Instead, they decided to hold to the state’s current Medicare plan, which includes a work requirement, and set forward a new Act loosening hospital Certificate of Need laws to address the state’s rural healthcare coverage gaps.
This year also saw Georgia State University Law Review’s Fourth Annual Legislative Forum. This event serves as a culmination of the legislative session, featuring presentations from students and policy experts on this year’s passed legislation. This year’s forum featured a look forward on the role of advocates and lobbyists in the legislative process and an examination of tort reform initiatives likely to be addressed in future legislative sessions.
This issue, known as the Peach Sheets, documents the legislative history of bills believed to be especially impactful on Georgians and Georgia’s legal community. Each Peach Sheet includes the title of the bill, a brief summary of the legislation, a history section, a tracking section that explains changes made during the bill’s consideration in both chambers, and a section explaining the final legislation as passed. At the end of each Peach Sheet, an analysis section explores issues such as the legislation’s constitutionality, impact on other laws, and possible unintended consequences. The Peach Sheets issue also includes a Table of Code Sections Affected, listing all Code sections affected by the covered legislation, and a House and Senate Bill Index, listing all House and Senate bill numbers addressed in the Peach Sheets.
It is our hope that the Peach Sheets will assist legal practitioners and Georgia citizens in understanding the effects of newly enacted legislation. We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of the Law Review Members and for the assistance we received from legislators, agency staff, lobbyists, Georgia attorneys, Georgia State University College of Law professors, and others who took time to speak with our Members and offer feedback.
Zach Ayer and Kyle N. Stancil, 2024–2025 Legislation Editors