# Georgia HB 256: Social services; foster parents bill of rights; revise provisions Georgia HB 256, Social services; foster parents bill of rights; revise provisions, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Rob Clifton (Republican), Clint Crowe (Republican), Chuck Efstration (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2026-05-11 (House Date Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB256-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Georgia HB 256 - State: Georgia - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: Social services; foster parents bill of rights; revise provisions - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-04 - Last action: 2026-05-11, House Date Signed by Governor - Sponsors: Rob Clifton (Republican), Clint Crowe (Republican), Chuck Efstration (Republican), Joseph Gullett (Republican), Matt Hatchett (Republican), Marcus Wiedower (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Judiciary Juvenile, Children and Families, General Bill - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (382 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More rights for Georgia foster caregivers: benefit, medium. Georgia's Foster Placements Bill of Rights covers foster parents, relative caregivers, and fictive kin caring for children in state child-welfare custody. Caregivers have rights to respectful treatment, protection from discrimination, training, and timely information about duties and policy changes… - Stronger complaint protections for foster caregivers: benefit, medium. Foster caregivers can choose a volunteer advocate approved by Georgia's Office of the Child Advocate for home investigations. They can also request the advocate at department meetings they attend; communications in that role are confidential. Investigations must be fair, timely, and impartial, prot… - Foster caregivers gain child record access: benefit, low. Foster caregivers can request information that does not identify people from placement or child-protection records for children in state care or custody. Records can include abuse reports, health evaluations, school records, and care plans, within legal limits. The agency must respond within 14 day… - Fuller court records for juvenile cases: benefit, low. Georgia juvenile courts must record every spoken word in proceedings covered by the state's juvenile code. Each party can obtain the full record without a separate court order. The Department of Human Services has the same access when the court allows it to participate. Courts must explain parties'… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Rob Clifton (Republican), House - Sponsor: Clint Crowe (Republican), House - Sponsor: Chuck Efstration (Republican), House - Sponsor: Joseph Gullett (Republican), House - Sponsor: Matt Hatchett (Republican), House - Sponsor: Marcus Wiedower (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Matt Brass (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-02 | House | Agree to Senate Substitute | pass | 171 | 0 | 6 | | 2026-03-31 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 47 | 0 | 2 | | 2026-02-17 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 164 | 0 | 8 | ## Actions (16) - 2026-05-11: House Date Signed by Governor (House) - 2026-05-11: Act 475 - 2026-05-11: Effective Date - 2026-04-10: House Sent to Governor (House) - 2026-04-02: House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House) - 2026-03-31: Senate Third Read (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Senate Read Second Time (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Senate Read and Referred (Senate) - 2026-02-17: House Third Readers (House) - 2026-02-17: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House) - 2026-02-10: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House) - 2025-02-06: House Second Readers (House) - 2025-02-05: House First Readers (House) - 2025-02-04: House Hopper (House) ## Bill text - HB 256/AP* (v8): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249056) ## 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 256/AP* (v8) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249056) ## 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) - [Georgia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia/bills) - [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB256-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).