All Roll Calls
Yes: 356 • No: 30
GeorgiaHB 1612025-2026 Regular SessionHouse
Georgia Bureau of Investigation; authority to issue subpoenas of electronic communication records for purposes of investigating certain cyber enabled threats to life and property; provide
Sponsored By: Beth Camp (Republican), Clint Crowe (Republican), Kimberly New (Republican), Matt Reeves (Republican), Tyler Paul Smith (Republican)
Became Law
Judiciary Non-CivilJudiciaryGeneral Bill
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Schools and cities can flag terrorism risks
Schools and local governments may treat suspected domestic‑terrorism involvement as status information they can use to identify or locate a person. This applies under Georgia’s education and local sanctuary rules. Information that another law requires to stay confidential is still kept confidential.
Stronger domestic terrorism laws and penalties
Georgia updates the definition of domestic terrorism to cover serious felonies meant to kill, cause serious harm, or disable or destroy key facilities, and to intimidate the public or influence government. Penalties are severe: if a death results, the sentence can be death or life; kidnapping or serious bodily harm can bring 15 to 35 years (or life for kidnapping); disabling or destroying critical infrastructure, a state or government facility, or public transit can bring 5 to 35 years. Courts generally cannot suspend, stay, probate, defer, or withhold these sentences, unless the prosecutor and defendant agree to a partial suspension. Domestic‑terrorism acts now count as predicate offenses for racketeering (RICO). The Board of Homeland Security uses the same definition as the criminal statute.
GBI can subpoena electronic subscriber records
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation can issue subpoenas, with the Attorney General’s consent, to get non‑content electronic records in certain listed investigations. Providers must give subscriber details like name, address, connection times, service dates and types, device or phone identifiers, and payment info. Providers cannot tell the subscriber about the subpoena, and officials must keep it nonpublic during a pending case. If someone refuses to comply, a court can order compliance and punish contempt. A natural person ordered by a court to produce records and who asserts the right against self‑incrimination gets immunity for that production, except for perjury. GBI may share the information with federal, state, or local police when it helps investigate the covered crimes. The law uses the same definitions of electronic and remote computing services as elsewhere in Georgia law.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Beth Camp
Republican • House
Clint Crowe
Republican • House
Kimberly New
Republican • House
Matt Reeves
Republican • House
Tyler Paul Smith
Republican • House
Cosponsors
John Albers
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/25/2025
Agree to Senate Substitute
Yes: 150 • No: 18
Senate vote • 3/20/2025
PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE
Yes: 48 • No: 4
House vote • 3/6/2025
PASSAGE
Yes: 158 • No: 8
Actions Timeline
Effective Date
7/1/2025House Date Signed by Governor
5/8/2025HouseAct 68
5/8/2025House Sent to Governor
4/7/2025HouseHouse Agreed Senate Amend or Sub
3/25/2025HouseSenate Third Read
3/20/2025SenateSenate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
3/20/2025SenateSenate Read Second Time
3/18/2025SenateSenate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
3/13/2025SenateSenate Read and Referred
3/10/2025SenateHouse Third Readers
3/6/2025HouseHouse Passed/Adopted By Substitute
3/6/2025HouseHouse Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
3/4/2025HouseHouse Second Readers
1/30/2025HouseHouse First Readers
1/29/2025HouseHouse Hopper
1/28/2025House
Bill Text
HB 161/AP* (v8)
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