REP. BILL YEARTA: Legislation moves swiftly through the state House 

It is hard to believe, but last week marked the halfway mark of the 2026 Legislation Session. Things are moving rapidly, and as the legislative session continues, our days on the House floor will get busier and longer as we work toward the critical deadline of Crossover Day — Legislative Day 28 — which marks the final opportunity for bills and resolutions to pass out of either the House or the Senate and remain eligible to be signed into law during this legislative session.

Below are a few pieces of legislation that I would like to bring to your attention:

With the expansion of data centers across the state, the Georgia House passed legislation that would ensure Georgia families and small businesses are not left paying for the construction and operation costs of these centers. House Bill 1063 would prohibit electric utilities from passing along costs of building and maintaining data centers with annual electricity demand of 100 megawatts or more to residential or retail customers. 

Over the summer, subcommittees traveled across the state to tour facilities, meet with community leaders, and examine data centers to better understand their impact on local communities and the state’s energy infrastructure. HB 1063 would codify rules into state law to ensure they cannot be weakened, reinterpreted or bypassed in the future.

The Georgia House also passed House Bill 657, a meaningful step toward enhancing mental health and substance use recovery services in our state. This bipartisan bill would formally establish peer specialists in state law as those who have lived experience and are trained to provide ongoing support to individuals and families receiving mental health or substance use recovery services.

The bill also would establish standards and requirements for recovery community
organizations — nonprofit organizations led and governed by local communities that
support individuals, families and communities affected by substance use disorders.

Modernizing and streamlining the licensing and credentialing process for Georgia’s
medical professionals was also a priority this week as we unanimously passed Senate Bill 162. The bill would require the Georgia Composite Medical Board to implement an automated licensing data management software system for physicians, physician assistants and anesthesiologist assistants, with the goal of getting qualified providers into Georgia’s work force much faster. 

The House unanimously passed House Bill 383, bipartisan legislation that would regulate Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation for prospective and current Georgia high school student athletes. H.B. 383 seeks to expand opportunities for high school student athletes, while providing clear guidance to students, their families, their high schools and high school associations and also protecting young athletes from long-term exploitation.

This week, the House also unanimously passed legislation that seeks to improve educational outcomes and graduation rates in Georgia. House Bill 907 would make several updates to the Completion Special Schools Act by revising certain procedures for Georgia’s completion special schools, formerly known as alternative schools.

The House took additional steps this week to strengthen transparency and accountability in state government by passing House Bill 903 with bipartisan support. HB 903 updates existing law to clarify that all executive branch agencies must follow the Georgia Administrative Procedures Act when adopting certain rules. The APA governs how state agencies propose and issue regulations and allows for judicial review of final agency decisions in Georgia.

We also gave final passage to two measures this week by agreeing to Senate substitutes, sending both bills to the governor’s desk for consideration. House Bill 117 would require food service establishments that serve imported foreign shrimp to clearly disclose that information on menus or place cards visible to the public. 

House Bill 414 also received final passage. This measure would allow the State Ethics Commission to request documentation or information related to government transparency and campaign finance from an individual located outside of Georgia. If that person refuses to comply, the commission would be authorized to petition a superior court to obtain the requested materials.

I will be sure to keep you updated with our progress in the coming weeks. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me regarding issues that are being considered under the Gold Dome, and I encourage you to stay connected with our work at the Capitol as we move through the remainder of the 2026 legislative session. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns that you might have.