Gambling Legislation

HR 450 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize sports betting in Georgia by changing Georgia’s Constitution. Because it is a constitutional amendment, it must pass by a 2/3 majority in both the House and Senate and then be voted on by Georgia citizens. Status: Active in 2025, but no movement yet in 2026.

HB 686 is the enabling legislation for HR 450 which means it contains the detailed information on how the law is carried out. Status: Active in 2025, but no movement yet in 2026.

Here are the other major bills we are tracking this session.

Support

• HB 171, or the Ensuring Accountability for Illegal AI Activities Act is a bill that would prohibit distributing obscene images of children and provide mandatory minimum sentences for those who do. Status: Passed in the House in 2025 but not in the Senate. No movement yet in 2026.
• HB 54 prohibits hospitals and other medical facilities using state funds from prescribing or administering, sex reassignment surgery, hormone therapy, or puberty blocking medications for minors. The bill does allow minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria to take puberty blockers with parental consent. Status: This bill was passed in 2025 and amended in 2026. The amendments were approved in the House and the Senate.
• HB 350, or the Safe Places for Newborns Act, is a bill that would legalize the placement of Newborn Safety Devices in designated areas. These safety devices, which allow for the anonymous placement of newborn babies, would be constantly monitored and accessible by first responders who can immediately transfer them for medical care. Status: Passed in the House this year. Currently being reviewed in a Senate committee.
• SB 39 would prohibit state health benefit plans or state funds in general from being used for gender-affirming care. Additionally, it would prohibit state operated healthcare facilities AND healthcare providers employed by the state from providing gender-affirming care. Status: Passed by the Senate 2025, but no movement yet in 2026.
• SB 74 would repeal an exemption that is currently in place for librarians who provide obscene materials to minors. Status: Passed in the Senate in 2025. Passed committee in the House on 2/6/2026. Waiting on a full vote in the House.
• SB 404 is legislation dealing with child custody proceedings. Currently, a court may consider a joint custody arrangement as an option, but this bill says that joint custody “shall be considered as the default form of custody by the judge and…that joint legal and physical custody and equally shared parenting time are in the best interests of the child.” Similar laws enacted in other states have shown several benefits when 50/50 custody is the starting point and not just an “alternative” option. Status: Introduced on 1/15/2026. Currently being reviewed in a Senate committee.
• Governor Kemp originally opted Georgia into the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship program in January 2026, and SB 446 states that it “is the policy of the State of Georgia to permanently participate in the federal tax credit scholarship program” established by President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill in 2025. SB 446 also stipulates that the Georgia Department of Revenue is the agency responsible for maintaining future participation (since a state has to opt in annually) while also managing the program. Status: Passed in the Senate on 2/18/26, and it is currently in a House committee.

Oppose

• SB 493, or the Promise Scholarship Student Success and Transparency Act, would regulate schools that participate in the Georgia Promise Scholarship program. The bill requires that students participating in the Promise Scholarship program be at or above grade level or showing that they are “growing in student achievement.” If students at a school do not meet these requirements, they would have to implement a plan for improvement and if the school failed subsequent reviews, it would not be allowed to participate in the Promise Scholarship program. The school could reapply to participate three years later. Status: Introduced on 2/10/2026. Currently under review in the Senate and unlikely to move due to the Republican majority.