Bill Commons

GA HB 256

enacted

Social services; foster parents bill of rights; revise provisions

Georgia · 2025_26 · lower

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Quick answers

Did GA HB 256 pass?

Yes. GA HB 256 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-05-11): Act 475

What is GA HB 256 about?

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to programs and protection for children, so as to revise provisions relating to the foster parents bill of rights; to provide for definitions; to provide that such rights include relative caregivers and fictive kin; to provide for the development of administrative procedures; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Who sponsors GA HB 256?

Joseph Gullett, Marcus Wiedower, Chuck Efstration and 3 others are the primary sponsors of GA HB 256.

Description

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to programs and protection for children, so as to revise provisions relating to the foster parents bill of rights; to provide for definitions; to provide that such rights include relative caregivers and fictive kin; to provide for the development of administrative procedures; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Introduced
2025-02-04
Latest action
2026-05-11 — Act 475
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Joseph Gullettprimary
  • Marcus Wiedowerprimary
  • Chuck Efstrationprimary
  • Rob Cliftonprimary
  • Matt Hatchettprimary
  • Clint Croweprimary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-05-11

    Act 475

    executive-signature

  2. 2026-05-11

    House Date Signed by Governor

    executive-signature

  3. 2026-04-10

    House Sent to Governor

    executive-receipt

  4. 2026-04-02

    House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub

  5. 2026-03-31

    Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute

    passage

  6. 2026-03-31

    Senate Third Read

    reading-3

  7. 2026-03-25

    Senate Read Second Time

    reading-2

  8. 2026-03-25

    Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

    committee-passage-favorable

  9. 2026-02-18

    Senate Read and Referred

    referral-committee

  10. 2026-02-17

    House Passed/Adopted By Substitute

    passage

  11. 2026-02-17

    House Third Readers

    reading-3

  12. 2026-02-10

    House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

    committee-passage-favorable

  13. 2025-02-06

    House Second Readers

    reading-2

  14. 2025-02-05

    House First Readers

    reading-1

  15. 2025-02-04

    House Hopper

    introduction

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • House Vote #516 - 2025-2026 Regular Session

    2026-02-17 · pass · 164-0

    Member-level votes (162)
    • ADESANYA: yes
    • ADEYINA: yes
    • ALEXANDER: yes
    • ALI: yes
    • ANDERSON: yes
    • AU: other
    • BAKER: yes
    • BALLARD: yes
    • BARNES: yes
    • BARRETT: yes
    • BARTON: yes
    • BAZEMORE: yes
    • BECKLES: yes
    • BELL: yes
    • BERRY: yes
    • BLACKMON: yes
    • BONNER: yes
    • BUCKNER: yes
    • BURCHETT: yes
    • BURNOUGH: yes
    • BURNS: other
    • BYRD: yes
    • CAMERON: yes
    • CAMP: yes
    • CAMPBELL: yes
    • CANNON: yes
    • CARPENTER: yes
    • CARSON: yes
    • CARTER: yes
    • CHASTAIN: yes
    • CHEOKAS: yes
    • CLARK: yes
    • CLIFTON: other
    • COOPER: yes
    • CORBETT: yes
    • COX: yes
    • CRAWFORD: yes
    • CROWE: yes
    • CUMMINGS: yes
    • DAVIS: yes
    • DAWSON: yes
    • DELOACH: yes
    • DEMPSEY: yes
    • DICKEY: yes
    • DONATUCCI: yes
    • DOUGLAS: yes
    • DRAPER: yes
    • DRENNER: yes
    • DUBNIK: yes
    • DUNAHOO: yes
    • EFSTRATION: yes
    • EHRHART: yes
    • ERWIN: yes
    • EVANS: yes
    • FINCHER: yes
    • FLEMING: yes
    • FLOURNOY: yes
    • FORD: yes
    • FRANKLIN: yes
    • FRYE: yes
    • GAINES: yes
    • GAMBILL: yes
    • GILLIARD: other
    • GISLER: yes
    • GLAIZE: yes
    • GREENE: yes
    • GRIFFIN: yes
    • GULLETT: yes
    • GUNTER: yes
    • HAGAN: yes
    • HATCHETT: yes
    • HAWKINS: yes
    • HERRING: yes
    • HILTON: yes
    • HITCHENS: yes
    • HOLCOMB: yes
    • HOLLAND: yes
    • HOLLY: yes
    • HONG: yes
    • HORNER: yes
    • HOWARD: other
    • HUDDLESTON: yes
    • HUGLEY: yes
    • JACKSON: yes
    • JASPERSE: yes
    • JENKINS: yes
    • JONES: yes
    • KAHAIAN: yes
    • KELLEY: yes
    • KENDRICK: yes
    • LAHOOD: yes
    • LEVERETT: yes
    • LEWIS-WARD: yes
    • LIM: yes
    • LUMSDEN: yes
    • LUPTON: yes
    • MARTIN: yes
    • MARTINEZ: yes
    • MATHIAK: yes
    • MATHIS: other
    • MCCLAIN: yes
    • MCCOLLUM: yes
    • MCDONALD III: yes
    • MCQUEEN: yes
    • MEEKS: yes
    • MILLER: yes
    • MITCHELL: yes
    • MOMTAHAN: yes
    • MOORE: yes
    • MYLES: yes
    • NEAL: yes
    • NEW: yes
    • NEWTON: yes
    • OKOYE: yes
    • OLALEYE: yes
    • OLIVER: other
    • O'STEEN: yes
    • PANITCH: yes
    • PARIS: yes
    • PARK: yes
    • PARRISH: yes
    • PARSONS: yes
    • PERSINGER: yes
    • PETREA: yes
    • POWELL: yes
    • PRINCE: yes
    • REESE: yes
    • REEVES: yes
    • RHODES: yes
    • RICE: yes
    • RICHARDSON: yes
    • RIDLEY: yes
    • ROBERTS: yes
    • ROMMAN: yes
    • SAINZ: yes
    • SAMPSON: other
    • SANCHEZ: yes
    • SANTOS: yes
    • SCHOFIELD: yes
    • SCOGGINS: yes
    • SCOTT: other
    • SEABAUGH: yes
    • SHARPER: yes
    • SILCOX: yes
    • SMITH: yes
    • STEPHENS: yes
    • STINSON: yes
    • TARVIN: yes
    • TAYLOR: yes
    • THOMAS: yes
    • TOWNSEND: yes
    • TRAN: other
    • WADE: yes
    • WASHBURN: yes
    • WERKHEISER: yes
    • WESTBROOK: yes
    • WILKERSON: yes
    • WILLIAMS: yes
    • WILLIAMS, JR.: yes
    • WILLIAMSON: yes
    • WILLIS: other
    • YEARTA: yes
  • Senate Vote #899 - 2025-2026 Regular Session

    2026-03-31 · pass · 47-0

    Member-level votes (52)
    • ALBERS: yes
    • ANAVITARTE: yes
    • ANDERSON: yes
    • BEARDEN: yes
    • BRASS: yes
    • BURNS: yes
    • COWSERT: yes
    • DAVENPORT: yes
    • DICKERSON: yes
    • DIXON: yes
    • DOLEZAL: other
    • ECHOLS: yes
    • GINN: yes
    • GOOCH: yes
    • GOODMAN: yes
    • HALPERN: yes
    • HARBIN: yes
    • HARBISON: yes
    • HARRELL: yes
    • HATCHETT: yes
    • HICKMAN: yes
    • HODGES: yes
    • HOWARD: yes
    • HUFSTETLER: yes
    • JACKSON: yes
    • JAMES: other
    • JONES: other
    • JONES II: yes
    • KEMP: yes
    • KIRKPATRICK: yes
    • LUCAS: yes
    • MALLOW: yes
    • MANGHAM: yes
    • MCLAURIN: yes
    • MCNEEL: yes
    • MERRITT: other
    • ORROCK: yes
    • PARENT: yes
    • PAYNE: yes
    • RAHMAN: yes
    • RHETT: yes
    • ROBERTSON: yes
    • SETZLER: yes
    • SIMS: other
    • STILL: yes
    • STRICKLAND: other
    • SUMMERS: yes
    • TILLERY: other
    • WALKER, III: yes
    • WATSON: yes
    • WICKS: yes
    • WILLIAMS: yes
  • House Vote #836 - 2025-2026 Regular Session

    2026-04-02 · pass · 171-0

    Member-level votes (161)
    • ADESANYA: yes
    • ADEYINA: yes
    • ALEXANDER: yes
    • ALI: yes
    • ANDERSON: yes
    • AU: yes
    • BAKER: yes
    • BALLARD: yes
    • BARNES: yes
    • BARRETT: yes
    • BARTON: yes
    • BAZEMORE: yes
    • BECKLES: yes
    • BELL: yes
    • BERRY: yes
    • BLACKMON: yes
    • BONNER: yes
    • BUCKNER: yes
    • BURCHETT: yes
    • BURNOUGH: yes
    • BURNS: other
    • BYRD: yes
    • CAMERON: yes
    • CAMP: yes
    • CAMPBELL: yes
    • CANNON: yes
    • CARPENTER: yes
    • CARSON: yes
    • CARTER: yes
    • CHASTAIN: yes
    • CHEOKAS: yes
    • CLARK: yes
    • CLIFTON: yes
    • COOPER: yes
    • CORBETT: yes
    • COX: yes
    • CRAWFORD: yes
    • CROWE: yes
    • CUMMINGS: yes
    • DAVIS: yes
    • DAWSON: yes
    • DELOACH: yes
    • DEMPSEY: yes
    • DICKEY: yes
    • DONATUCCI: yes
    • DOUGLAS: yes
    • DRAPER: yes
    • DRENNER: yes
    • DUBNIK: yes
    • DUNAHOO: yes
    • EFSTRATION: yes
    • EHRHART: yes
    • ERWIN: yes
    • EVANS: yes
    • FINCHER: yes
    • FLEMING: yes
    • FLOURNOY: yes
    • FORD: yes
    • FRANKLIN: yes
    • FRYE: yes
    • GAINES: yes
    • GAMBILL: yes
    • GILLIARD: yes
    • GISLER: yes
    • GLAIZE: yes
    • GREENE: yes
    • GRIFFIN: yes
    • GULLETT: yes
    • GUNTER: yes
    • HAGAN: yes
    • HATCHETT: yes
    • HAWKINS: yes
    • HERRING: yes
    • HILTON: yes
    • HITCHENS: yes
    • HOLCOMB: yes
    • HOLLAND: yes
    • HOLLY: yes
    • HONG: yes
    • HORNER: yes
    • HOWARD: yes
    • HUDDLESTON: yes
    • HUGLEY: yes
    • JACKSON: yes
    • JASPERSE: yes
    • JENKINS: yes
    • JONES: yes
    • KAHAIAN: yes
    • KELLEY: yes
    • KENDRICK: yes
    • LAHOOD: yes
    • LEVERETT: yes
    • LEWIS-WARD: yes
    • LIM: yes
    • LUMSDEN: yes
    • LUPTON: yes
    • MARTIN: yes
    • MARTINEZ: yes
    • MATHIAK: yes
    • MATHIS: yes
    • MCCLAIN: yes
    • MCCOLLUM: yes
    • MCDONALD III: yes
    • MCQUEEN: yes
    • MEEKS: yes
    • MILLER: yes
    • MITCHELL: yes
    • MOMTAHAN: yes
    • MOORE: yes
    • MYLES: yes
    • NEAL: yes
    • NEW: yes
    • NEWTON: yes
    • OKOYE: yes
    • OLALEYE: yes
    • OLIVER: yes
    • O'STEEN: yes
    • PANITCH: yes
    • PARIS: yes
    • PARK: yes
    • PARRISH: yes
    • PARSONS: yes
    • PERSINGER: yes
    • PETREA: yes
    • POWELL: yes
    • PRINCE: yes
    • REESE: yes
    • REEVES: yes
    • RHODES: yes
    • RICE: other
    • RICHARDSON: yes
    • RIDLEY: yes
    • ROBERTS: yes
    • ROMMAN: yes
    • SAINZ: other
    • SAMPSON: yes
    • SANCHEZ: yes
    • SANTOS: yes
    • SCHOFIELD: yes
    • SCOGGINS: yes
    • SCOTT: yes
    • SEABAUGH: yes
    • SILCOX: yes
    • SMITH: yes
    • STEPHENS: yes
    • STINSON: yes
    • TARVIN: yes
    • TAYLOR: yes
    • THOMAS: yes
    • TOWNSEND: yes
    • TRAN: yes
    • WADE: yes
    • WASHBURN: yes
    • WERKHEISER: yes
    • WESTBROOK: yes
    • WILKERSON: yes
    • WILLIAMS: yes
    • WILLIAMS, JR.: yes
    • WILLIAMSON: yes
    • WILLIS: yes
    • YEARTA: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:19:40.450420Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:

Use this data

Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=GA&identifier=HB 256. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

Known limitations

  • Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.

See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.