# Georgia HB 1161: Motor vehicles; proper operation upon approach by an authorized emergency vehicle or by a law enforcement vehicle for purposes of a traffic stop; provide

Georgia HB 1161, Motor vehicles; proper operation upon approach by an authorized emergency vehicle or by a law enforcement vehicle for purposes of a traffic stop; provide, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jasmine Clark (Democrat), Leesa Hagan (Republican), Soo Hong (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1161-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia HB 1161
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Motor vehicles; proper operation upon approach by an authorized emergency vehicle or by a law enforcement vehicle for purposes of a traffic stop; provide
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-02
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Jasmine Clark (Democrat), Leesa Hagan (Republican), Soo Hong (Republican), Marvin Lim (Democrat), Matt Reeves (Republican), Mary Ann Santos (Democrat)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Public Safety and Homeland Security, Public Safety, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (447 yes, 37 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Fleeing drivers face distance-based prison sentences: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, specified fleeing convictions carry 30 days of imprisonment per mile, within existing minimum and maximum sentences. This applies when the officer or police vehicle serves Georgia's Capitol Police, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, or Uniform Division on official duty. Only mi…
- Drivers must meet window tint limits: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, vehicles driven in Georgia must meet window-tint limits unless a legal exception applies. Front side and door windows must let through at least 28% of light, with a 3-percentage-point tolerance. Rear side and door windows and the rear windshield must let through at least 15%…
- Camera notices warn of registration blocks: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, school-zone traffic camera notices must warn owners about losing access to vehicle registration renewal. If you neither pay nor contest the citation in court on time, you lose the right to contest it. You also cannot renew the cited vehicle's registration until the citation…
- Drivers get safer rules for pulling over: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, drivers must yield to authorized emergency vehicles using the required lights and siren. Move as far right as possible, clear of intersections, and stop until the vehicle passes unless an officer directs otherwise. When an officer in a marked police vehicle signals a traffic…
- School-zone cameras face limits and warnings: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, counties and cities need a state transportation permit before installing school-zone speed cameras. They must already hold a state public safety speed-detection permit, and approval depends on demonstrated need. Roads with more than two lanes require a prior history showing…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jasmine Clark (Democrat), House
- Sponsor: Leesa Hagan (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Soo Hong (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Marvin Lim (Democrat), House
- Sponsor: Matt Reeves (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Mary Ann Santos (Democrat), House
- Cosponsor: John Albers (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-03 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE | pass | 33 | 19 | 3 |
| 2026-04-02 | House | Agree to Senate Sub as Am | pass | 163 | 6 | 8 |
| 2026-03-31 | Senate | ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #1 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 29TH | pass | 43 | 7 | 2 |
| 2026-03-31 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 46 | 3 | 3 |
| 2026-02-19 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 162 | 2 | 11 |

## Actions (17)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-12: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2026-05-12: Act 640
- 2026-04-10: House Sent to Governor (House)
- 2026-04-02: House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (House)
- 2026-04-02: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: House Third Readers (House)
- 2026-02-19: House Passed/Adopted (House)
- 2026-02-12: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2026-02-04: House Second Readers (House)
- 2026-02-03: House First Readers (House)
- 2026-02-02: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 1161/AP* (v14): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249054)

## Related bills

- SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed)
- SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed)
- SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed)
- SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed)
- HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed)
- HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed)

## Sources
- [HB 1161/AP* (v14) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249054)

## Related
- [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026)
- [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026)
- [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026)
- [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026)
- [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026)
- [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1161-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).