Committee advances bill to modernize Georgia child-abuse reporting system

The Senate Public Safety Committee voted to pass House Bill 1409, a substitute measure that lawmakers say will modernize the state’s child-abuse reporting system.

Representative Kim told the committee the substitute removes a prior reference to 45 CFR from the bill and makes several clarifications. "This is a system that's going to hopefully strengthen and modernize ... the child abuse reporting system in our state," Rep. Kim said. She also told senators the department had raised concerns and that sponsors had been working with agency staff to resolve them.

Chairman Albers noted the parties have negotiated and that only a few issues remained. The committee took a motion from Senator Kim Jackson to pass the bill; Senator Rick Williams seconded, and the measure passed unanimously. Chairman Albers said the sponsor should identify who will carry the bill in the Senate Rules Committee before the hour was up.

Why it matters: Sponsors say the bill will standardize and update how child-abuse reports are handled across the state; committee debate focused on technical edits and agency feedback rather than new policy changes.

What happens next: The bill will continue through the Senate process; sponsors and staff will continue discussions with the department to resolve outstanding concerns before floor action.