HB 7 was introduced by Rep. Sandra Scott (D-Rex) on January 29, 2021. The bill creates new classifications for students at public universities and technical colleges to help homeless youth and youth in foster care qualify for in-state tuition. HB 7 is assigned to the House Higher Education Committee, which held a hearing only hearing for the bill. No update from last week.

HB 47 was introduced by Rep. Carl Gilliard (D-Garden City) on January 26, 2021. The bill creates and lays out the composition for a Legislative Gang Prevention and Intervention Commission to make recommendations for combating gang involvement. HB 47 is assigned to the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. No update from last week.

HB 114 was introduced by Rep. Bert Reeves (R-Marietta) on January 26, 2021. The bill increases the adoption tax credit to $6000 per year for five years following the adoption and continuing at $2000 thereafter until the adopted child turns 18. HB 114 is part of the Governor's adoption package and is assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee. While the bill had already passed out of the full committee and was awaiting consideration by the House Rules Committee, the bill was recommitted to the House Ways and Means Committee last week. HB 114 was approved by the Income Tax Subcommittee on Friday and awaits consideration before the full committee.

HB 154 was introduced by Rep. Bert Reeves (R-Marietta) on January 27, 2021. The bill builds on the comprehensive reforms to the Adoption Code enacted in 2018. It includes technical revisions throughout the Adoption Code to ensure greater efficiency of proceedings in all types of adoption (including private agency adoptions, foster care adoptions, international adoptions, and relative adoptions), reduces the age at which a person is allowed to petition for adoption, from 25 to 21 years old, and streamlines procedures to improve efficiency with changes to venue, authorization for virtual appearances in uncontested hearings, clarification of service and notice requirements, and imposition of timelines on court-appointed investigators. Additionally, the bill offers increased protections for prospective adoptive parents and biological parents by prohibiting conduct that intentionally misrepresents or exploits parties to an adoption. HB 154 is part of the Governor's adoption package. After passing out of the House Juvenile Justice Committee and the House Rules Committee, the full House of Representative approved HB 154 by a 160 to 4 vote. The bill has crossed over and is assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. No update from last week.

HB 155 was introduced by Erica Thomas (D-Austell) on January 27, 2021. The bill raises the age of mandatory education from 16 to 17 years old. HB 155 is the companion legislation to SB 3 and is assigned to the House Education Committee. No update from last week.

HB 163 was introduced by Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta) on January 28, 2021. The bill requires the Department of Community Health to submit a plan by June 30th of next year for the establishment of an express lane enrollment system for Medicaid eligible children. The bill passed out of both the House Health and Human Services Committee and the House Rules Committee before gaining the unanimous approval of the full House of Representatives. HB 163 has crossed over and is assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. No update from last week.

HB 216 was introduced by Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula) on February 1, 2021. The bill revises the pleading form associated with a petition for equitable caregiver status, as well as the associated code section to provide for the revocation of equitable caregiver status. HB 216 is assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee. No update from last week.

HB 272 was introduced by Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton) on February 3, 2021. The bill raises the age of adult criminal responsibility and juvenile court jurisdiction from 17-years-old to 18-years-old, as well as provides for the creation of an implementation committee to oversee . HB 272 passed out of the House Juvenile Justice Committee. The bill continues to await consideration before the House Rules Committee.

HB 274 was introduced by Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton) on February 3, 2021. The bill supplements the salary of juvenile court judges by $6,000 if their judicial circuit has instituted a drug diversion court, mental health court, veterans court, family treatment court, or other accountability court. HB 274 passed out of the House Juvenile Justice Committee. The bill continues to await consideration before the House Rules Committee.

HB 322 was introduced by Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville) on February 4, 2021. The bill revises the code sections regarding child sexual exploitation to be consistent with changes made to the juvenile code last year. HB 322 passed out of the House Juvenile Justice Committee on Thursday and now awaits consideration before the House Rules Committee.

HB 323 was introduced by Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville) on February 4, 2021. The bill would expand the definition of aggravated circumstances whereby reasonable efforts are not required before terminating parental rights, as well as establish a rebuttable presumption that reasonable efforts are not required where specified findings exist. HB 323 is assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee. No update from last week.

HB 324 was introduced by Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville) on February 4, 2021. The bill would establish the right of third parties, such as foster parents, child psychologists, teachers, and CASA's, to intervene in child dependency proceedings. HB 324 is assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee. No update from last week.

HB 349 was introduced by Donna McLeod (D-Lawrenceville) on February 8, 2021. The bill expands the list of those who can have their rights terminated due to aggravated circumstances, amends a number of provisions in the juvenile code regarding the role of the guardian ad litem, as well as revises other definitions and sections regarding process for and placement of dependent children. HB 349 is assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee. No update from last week.

HB 368 was introduced by Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton) on February 9, 2021. The bill gives the Georgia Bureau of Investigation first priority in investigating the death of anyone under the age of 18. HB 368 is assigned to the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. The bill was scheduled for a hearing before subcommittee last week, but the sponsor requested leave to address issues with the draft language, which was granted.

HB 401 was introduced by Ginny Ehrhart (R-Marietta) on February 10, 2021. The bill imposes criminal as well as civil liability on any medical professional who performs a procedure or administers medication that would make a minor's gender conform with their gender identity, if that differs from their gender at birth. HB 401 is assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee. No update from last week.

HB 403 was introduced by Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville) on February 10, 2021. The bill expands the role of the Office of the Child Advocate to include the promotion of quality legal representation in child custody proceedings by means of establishing metrics, standards, training requirements, and preparing an annual report on those efforts. HB 403 is assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee. The bill was briefly discussed before the committee on Thursday, but the sponsor announced no further action would be taken this year.

HB 464 was introduced by Mitchell Scoggins (R-Cartersville) on February 16, 2021. The bill grants probate courts the discretion to transfer cases involving temporary guardianships to the juvenile courts. HB 464 passed out of the House Juvenile Justice Committee on Thursday and now awaits consideration before the House Rules Committee.

HB 548 was introduced by Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) on February 18, 2021. The bill facilitates increased data sharing regarding timing and status of dependency proceedings between DFCS and the courts. HB 548 passed out of the House Juvenile Justice Committee on Thursday and now awaits consideration before the House Rules Committee.

HB 562 was introduced by Kasey Carpenter (R-Dalton) on February 18, 2021. The bill adds DFCS case managers to the list of professionals who cannot have bench warrants issued for their arrest by a magistrate court judge for acts committed in the course of their duties. HB 562 is assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee.

HB 569 was introduced by Matthew Wilson (D-Brookhaven) on February 18, 2021. The bill defines and prohibits the use of conversion therapy on those under the age of 18. HB 569 is assigned to the House Regulated Industries Committee.

SB 3 was introduced by Sen. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah) on January 12, 2021. The bill raises the age of mandatory education from 16 to 17 years old. SB 3 is the companion legislation to HB 155. The Senate Education and Youth Committee has held two hearings on the bill. On Friday, Chairman Payne announced that a Senate Resolution would be introduced to establish a study committee to examine the potential cost and implications of this proposal and better inform reconsideration next year.

SB 20 was introduced by Sen. Chuck Payne (R-Dalton) on January 26, 2021. The bill adds three new members of the Child Advocate Advisory Committee, namely one representative each of foster parents, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and former youth in foster care. SB 20 passed out of the Senate and is assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee in the House. No update from last week.

SB 28 was introduced by Sen. Bo Hatchett (R-Lavonia) on January 27, 2021. The bill features a number of technical revisions and adjustments to the juvenile code regarding temporary alternatives to foster care and the admissibility of hearsay evidence in child dependency hearings, as well modifications to the definitions section regarding abandonment and abuse of a child. SB 28 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Rules Committee. On Friday, the bill was approved by the full Senate on a 49-0 vote. SB 28 will now cross over and be assigned to a substantive committee in the House.

SB 33 was introduced by Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Buford) on January 27, 2021. The bill creates a civil cause of action for victims of human trafficking to recover damages and attorney's fees from their traffickers and those who profited from their trafficking. The bill imposes a ten year statute of limitations on bringing such a claim, the clock starts when the victim turns 18 years old if they were trafficked as a child. SB 33 is part of the First Lady's package of bills around human trafficking. The bill passed out of the the Senate and has crossed over to the House. SB 33 is assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. No update from last week.

SB 34 was introduced by Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Buford) on January 27, 2021. The bill creates an easier pathway for human trafficking victims to legally change their names. SB 34 is part of the First Lady's package of bills around human trafficking. The bill passed out of the the Senate and has crossed over to the House. SB 33 is assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. No update from last week.

SB 42 was introduced by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) on January 27, 2021. The bill removes consideration of data regarding student discipline in public schools from school climate determinations. After being tabled at its initial hearing, SB 42 passed out of the Senate Education and Youth Committee. The bill now awaits consideration before the Senate Rules Committee. No update from last week.

SB 85 was introduced by John Albers (R-Roswell) on February 3, 2021. The bill creates a statutory definition of "hazing" and institutes criminal penalties for such conduct that results in death or serious injury. SB 85 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Rules Committee. On Friday, the bill was approved by the full Senate, with an amendment limiting criminal applicability to those 17 and older, by a 49-0 vote. SB 85 will now cross over and be assigned to a substantive committee in the House.

SB 107 was introduced by Brain Strickland (R-McDonough) on February 8, 2021. The bill would establish a tuition waiver program for qualifying youth in foster care at Georgia's public technical colleges. Initially, the bill would have done the same at Georgia's public universities, but a provision of the Georgia constitution reserves such power to the Board of Regents. SB 107 has been revised to include a policy recommendation that the Board of Regents adopt a waiver program as laid out in the bill. The Senate Higher Education Committee passed out SB 107 unanimously. The bill now awaits consideration before the Senate Rules Committee.