# Georgia HB 1247: Georgia Bureaucratic Deference Elimination Act; enact

Georgia HB 1247, Georgia Bureaucratic Deference Elimination Act; enact, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Sandy Donatucci (Republican), Scott Hilton (Republican), Mitchell Horner (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (House Date Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1247-2025-2026
- 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 1247
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Georgia Bureaucratic Deference Elimination Act; enact
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-09
- Last action: 2026-05-12, House Date Signed by Governor
- Sponsors: Sandy Donatucci (Republican), Scott Hilton (Republican), Mitchell Horner (Republican), Alan Powell (Republican), Matt Reeves (Republican), Steve Tarvin (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Governmental Affairs, Judiciary, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (407 yes, 240 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 6

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Less rule paperwork for small businesses: benefit, low. Georgia agencies must reduce rules’ economic impact on qualifying small businesses when legally and practically possible. Businesses must be independently owned and operated, not dominant in their field, and have 100 or fewer employees. Relief can include simpler reports, fewer requirements, differ…
- Agencies must review and limit rule costs: benefit, low. Before adopting, changing, or repealing a covered rule, Georgia agencies must consider its economic impact. They must include an impact statement in the notice; interpretive rules and general policy statements are exempt. An economic analysis accompanying the proposed rule and summary counts as evi…
- Charities gain limits on reporting burdens: benefit, low. Agencies generally cannot impose annual filing or reporting requirements on covered charities beyond what applicable law authorizes. This protects 501(c)(3) charities regulated or specifically exempted under Georgia’s charitable solicitation law. Stricter requirements need a compelling state intere…
- Some homeless providers must join database: cost, low. Some privately funded shelters and homeless outreach groups must participate as authorizing agencies in Georgia’s Homeless Management Information System. Outreach includes medical care, clothing, food, or shelter. The rule covers providers within 1,000 feet of a school, college, child care center,…
- Courts independently review agency legal views: mixed, low. Georgia courts and officials hearing administrative cases must independently interpret the state Constitution, statutes, and published rules. They cannot defer to an agency’s written or unwritten legal views, except for formally adopted Georgia Administrative Procedure Act rules. Judicial-review st…
- Legislator settlements face disclosure and penalties: mixed, low. Settlement records resolving unlawful employment-practice claims against Georgia legislators must be public for claims made on or after January 1, 2019. Claimants’ and other parties’ identities are hidden, but the legislator’s identity remains public. Records requested by specified legislative lead…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Sandy Donatucci (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Scott Hilton (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Mitchell Horner (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Alan Powell (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Matt Reeves (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Steve Tarvin (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Bo Hatchett (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-03 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE | pass | 34 | 18 | 3 |
| 2026-04-02 | House | Agree to Senate Sub as Am | pass | 98 | 70 | 7 |
| 2026-04-02 | House | AM 62 0077 | pass | 96 | 69 | 9 |
| 2026-03-25 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 48 | 2 | 4 |
| 2026-03-25 | Senate | ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #1 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 46TH | pass | 33 | 18 | 3 |
| 2026-03-04 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 98 | 63 | 4 |

## Actions (17)

- 2026-05-12: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2026-05-12: Act 718
- 2026-05-12: Effective Date
- 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)
- 2026-03-25: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-03-25: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-23: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: House Third Readers (House)
- 2026-03-04: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- 2026-02-19: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2026-02-11: House Second Readers (House)
- 2026-02-10: House First Readers (House)
- 2026-02-09: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 1247/AP* (v18): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249088)

## 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 1247/AP* (v18) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249088)

## 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-HB1247-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).