# Georgia HB 516: State government; authorize county and regional library boards to conduct meetings via teleconference

Georgia HB 516, State government; authorize county and regional library boards to conduct meetings via teleconference, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Bethany Ballard (Republican), Lee Hawkins (Republican), Rob Leverett (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2025-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB516-2025-2026
- 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 516
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: State government; authorize county and regional library boards to conduct meetings via teleconference
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-19
- Last action: 2025-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Bethany Ballard (Republican), Lee Hawkins (Republican), Rob Leverett (Republican), Kimberly New (Republican), Holt Persinger (Republican), Mitchell Scoggins (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: State Planning & Community Affairs, State and Local Governmental Operations, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (307 yes, 77 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Bond approval for state charter school facilities: benefit, low. Georgia’s Attorney General can approve private activity bonds to finance or refinance qualifying state charter school facilities. The Attorney General or a designee must hold a public hearing within 60 days of receiving a written request. The hearing requires reasonable public notice and must follo…
- Remote board meetings expand, with hospital limits: mixed, low. Georgia county and regional library boards and community service boards can meet by teleconference after providing required public notice. At least 50 percent of their members must attend at a physical location, with public viewing and comments available remotely. Development authorities, community…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bethany Ballard (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Lee Hawkins (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Rob Leverett (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Kimberly New (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Holt Persinger (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Mitchell Scoggins (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-04 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 49 | 1 | 5 |
| 2025-04-04 | House | Agree to Senate Substitute | pass | 94 | 71 | 3 |
| 2025-03-04 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 164 | 5 | 6 |

## Actions (18)

- 2025-07-01: Effective Date
- 2025-05-14: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2025-05-14: Act 271
- 2025-04-09: House Sent to Governor (House)
- 2025-04-04: Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- 2025-04-04: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2025-04-04: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- 2025-04-04: House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
- 2025-04-02: Senate Tabled (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: House Third Readers (House)
- 2025-03-04: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- 2025-02-26: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2025-02-21: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-02-20: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-02-19: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 516/AP* (v13): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239312)

## 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 516/AP* (v13) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239312)

## 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-HB516-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).