# Georgia HB 288: Appeal and error; declaratory judgments in instances involving accusations made by a prosecuting attorney regarding credibility of a peace officer; provide Georgia HB 288, Appeal and error; declaratory judgments in instances involving accusations made by a prosecuting attorney regarding credibility of a peace officer; provide, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Rob Clifton (Republican), Clint Crowe (Republican), Houston Gaines (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2025-05-12 (House Date Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB288-2025-2026 - 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 288 - State: Georgia - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: Appeal and error; declaratory judgments in instances involving accusations made by a prosecuting attorney regarding credibility of a peace officer; provide - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-05 - Last action: 2025-05-12, House Date Signed by Governor - Sponsors: Rob Clifton (Republican), Clint Crowe (Republican), Houston Gaines (Republican), Stan Gunter (Republican), Eddie Lumsden (Republican), Matt Reeves (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Public Safety and Homeland Security, Judiciary, General Bill - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (353 yes, 34 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Defendants receive required officer credibility information: benefit, low. Prosecutors can consider an officer’s credibility-list status when deciding whether to bring charges. In criminal cases, they must share the listing and its basis with defense lawyers or defendants as required by law. This includes the notice or relevant materials. The law does not change federal l… - Listed officers gain job and certification protections: benefit, low. The state training council must review the facts behind an officer’s credibility-list placement and notify the officer and employer of its findings. If discipline is not warranted, it must dismiss the matter and keep the investigation off the officer’s public status. The council cannot suspend, rev… - Officers get notice and credibility-list review: benefit, low. Prosecutors must notify employers and the state training council when placing officers on Giglio lists, which concern officers’ credibility as witnesses. Notices must give reasons and explain rights to materials, added information, and reconsideration; employers must notify officers within three da… - Officers face limits on suing prosecutors: cost, low. Georgia prosecutors generally have protection from civil liability for placing officers on credibility lists. That protection does not apply when the officer proves actual malice or an actual intent to cause injury. - Public access to officer credibility records narrows: cost, low. Records relating to officers’ Giglio credibility lists are exempt from required release under Georgia’s public-records law. Public agencies do not have to disclose these records in response to public-records requests. - Sheriff candidates face new certification rules: mixed, low. Georgia sheriff candidates generally must be certified peace officers, not under certification revocation, and file the state training council’s certification form. First responders, current or former law enforcement officers, and retired or honorably discharged U.S. military members can qualify wi… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Rob Clifton (Republican), House - Sponsor: Clint Crowe (Republican), House - Sponsor: Houston Gaines (Republican), House - Sponsor: Stan Gunter (Republican), House - Sponsor: Eddie Lumsden (Republican), House - Sponsor: Matt Reeves (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Brian Strickland (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-31 | House | Agree to Senate Substitute | pass | 152 | 14 | 4 | | 2025-03-31 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 55 | 0 | | | 2025-03-06 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 146 | 20 | 9 | ## Actions (16) - 2025-05-12: House Date Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-05-12: Act 115 - 2025-05-12: Effective Date - 2025-04-10: House Sent to Governor (House) - 2025-03-31: Senate Third Read (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate) - 2025-03-31: House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House) - 2025-03-25: Senate Read Second Time (Senate) - 2025-03-21: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate) - 2025-03-10: Senate Read and Referred (Senate) - 2025-03-06: House Third Readers (House) - 2025-03-06: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House) - 2025-03-04: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House) - 2025-02-10: House Second Readers (House) - 2025-02-06: House First Readers (House) - 2025-02-05: House Hopper (House) ## Bill text - HB 288/AP* (v8): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238525) ## 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 288/AP* (v8) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238525) ## 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-HB288-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).