PRIA Logo™
GeorgiaHB 532025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Georgia veterans; allow certain persons to be buried in Georgia veterans cemeteries

Sponsored By: Bethany Ballard (Republican), Josh Bonner (Republican), Chas Cannon (Republican), David Clark (Republican), Noelle Kahaian (Republican), Brian Prince (Democrat)

Signed by Governor

Defense & Veterans AffairsVeterans, Military, and Homeland SecurityGeneral Bill

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Burial access for Guard, Reserve, families

Georgia veterans cemeteries allow burial for more people. Members of the National Guard or other reserve components qualify if they completed a full term. Their service must have ended under honorable conditions, and they must have died on or after August 1, 1990. ROTC members who died under honorable conditions while a service member qualify. Spouses, minor children, and unmarried adult children of these members can also be buried. People who meet national cemetery interment rules also qualify.

State can build and run veterans cemeteries

The Georgia Department of Veterans Service can establish, operate, and maintain state veterans cemeteries. The cemetery in place on July 1, 2002, is named the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery. This authority helps the state add and manage burial sites.

New burial fees at state veterans cemeteries

The Georgia Department of Veterans Service can charge a fee for each burial in a state veterans cemetery. The fee may match the national cemetery burial allowance or another amount set by the commissioner. Families or others who handle burial costs may have to pay this fee.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

  • Bethany Ballard

    Republican • House

  • Josh Bonner

    Republican • House

  • Chas Cannon

    Republican • House

  • David Clark

    Republican • House

  • Noelle Kahaian

    Republican • House

  • Brian Prince

    Democrat • House

Cosponsors

  • Rick Williams

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 381 • No: 0

House vote • 3/27/2025

Agree to Senate Substitute

Yes: 163 • No: 0 • Other: 4

Senate vote • 3/25/2025

PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE

Yes: 54 • No: 0 • Other: 1

House vote • 2/20/2025

PASSAGE

Yes: 164 • No: 0 • Other: 13

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective Date

    7/1/2025

  2. House Date Signed by Governor

    5/13/2025House

  3. Act 179

    5/13/2025

  4. House Sent to Governor

    4/7/2025House

  5. House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub

    3/27/2025House

  6. Senate Third Read

    3/25/2025Senate

  7. Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute

    3/25/2025Senate

  8. Senate Read Second Time

    3/21/2025Senate

  9. Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

    3/20/2025Senate

  10. Senate Read and Referred

    2/21/2025Senate

  11. House Third Readers

    2/20/2025House

  12. House Passed/Adopted

    2/20/2025House

  13. House Committee Favorably Reported

    2/12/2025House

  14. House Second Readers

    1/16/2025House

  15. House First Readers

    1/15/2025House

  16. House Hopper

    1/14/2025House

Bill Text

  • HB 53/AP* (v5)

    PDF

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation