Georgia Senate Rules Committee advances mugshot‑request limits, AED access bill and multiple agency measures

The Georgia State Senate Rules Committee advanced a slate of bills and placed two ceremonial resolutions on a consent calendar during its meeting. Committee members approved the procedural moves by unanimous voice vote and advanced five bills for further consideration.

The committee heard sponsor remarks on Senate Bill 482, a proposal that would require anyone requesting a mugshot from a sheriff’s office to identify the person sought and sign an affidavit certifying compliance with Georgia law and an agreement not to charge for having a mugshot removed. "This will hopefully stop the process of having these online companies and publications that just get everybody's mug shots and post them for entertainment," the sponsor stated during the presentation.

Members also discussed SB399, an effort to coordinate automated external defibrillator (AED) access on college campuses. A sponsor said the measure is named for Mason Sales, "a young man who passed away because the AED was locked into the building and was not available," and described the bill as intended to ensure AEDs are accessible where students and faculty need them.

Other bills the committee considered included: SB405 to raise the small‑claims threshold; SB171, a math pathways program for elementary and middle schools; HB377 and related procurement measures on qualification‑based selection for architects and engineers; SB392 proposing a return to 0‑based budgeting; SB395 to improve communication between the Department of Public Health and the Composite State Medical Board on medical cannabis; SB428, a DCH waiver to serve people who are homeless and seriously mentally ill; and SB485 to allow social work master’s students to take licensing exams during their last semester.

The committee also resolved two scrivener errors and proposed ceremonial recognitions: SR684 (related to the American Heart Association Day) and SR744 (honoring local leaders). Vice Chairman Speaker 14 moved to create a consent calendar for those two resolutions; the motion was seconded and carried by unanimous voice vote. Later, the chair moved to advance SB171, SB392, SB395, SB428 and SB430; a second was recorded and the committee carried that motion by unanimous voice vote.

Throughout the meeting, members mixed brief policy presentations with procedural conversation about floor strategy and delegation picks. The chair opened and closed the meeting with informal remarks; the committee adjourned after confirming the bills to advance. No roll‑call recorded vote tallies were taken in committee minutes — actions were approved by unanimous voice vote.

What happens next: The advanced measures will be scheduled for further consideration according to Senate floor and calendar procedures; ceremonial resolutions will appear on the committee’s consent or consideration calendar.