# Georgia HB 549: Peace officers; extend time frame for which reimbursement of total training expenses by a subsequent employer may be sought

Georgia HB 549, Peace officers; extend time frame for which reimbursement of total training expenses by a subsequent employer may be sought, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Bill Hitchens (Republican), Eddie Lumsden (Republican), Derrick McCollum (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB549-2025-2026
- 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 549
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Peace officers; extend time frame for which reimbursement of total training expenses by a subsequent employer may be sought
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-20
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Bill Hitchens (Republican), Eddie Lumsden (Republican), Derrick McCollum (Republican), Lauren McDonald III (Republican), Brian Prince (Democrat), Devan Seabaugh (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Public Safety and Homeland Security, Public Safety, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (237 yes, 24 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Longer repayment window for police training costs: mixed, low. The law extends the police training repayment window to 36 months after required or formal training ends. An agency hiring an officer within that window must repay the Georgia state, county, or city employer that paid for training. Repayment is limited to actual costs of equipment and materials req…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bill Hitchens (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Eddie Lumsden (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Derrick McCollum (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Lauren McDonald III (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Brian Prince (Democrat), House
- Sponsor: Devan Seabaugh (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Timothy Bearden (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-27 | Senate | PASSAGE | pass | 47 | 2 | 2 |
| 2026-03-27 | Senate | MOTION TO TABLE REMAINING LEGISLATION ON THE RULES CALENDAR | pass | 26 | 22 | 5 |
| 2025-03-06 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 164 | 0 | 12 |

## Actions (21)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-06: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2026-05-06: Act 422
- 2026-04-06: House Sent to Governor (House)
- 2026-03-27: Senate Tabled (Senate)
- 2026-03-27: Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- 2026-03-27: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-03-27: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2026-01-12: Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- 2026-01-12: Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Senate Tabled (Senate)
- 2025-03-18: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2025-03-13: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: House Third Readers (House)
- 2025-03-06: House Passed/Adopted (House)
- 2025-02-27: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2025-02-24: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-02-21: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-02-20: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 549/AP* (v3): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248111)

## 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 549/AP* (v3) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248111)

## 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-HB549-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).