# Georgia HB 985: Veterans affairs; revise terms of eligibility for persons to be buried in Georgia veteran cemeteries

Georgia HB 985, Veterans affairs; revise terms of eligibility for persons to be buried in Georgia veteran cemeteries, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Josh Bonner (Republican), Sandy Donatucci (Republican), Bill Hitchens (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB985-2025-2026
- 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 985
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Veterans affairs; revise terms of eligibility for persons to be buried in Georgia veteran cemeteries
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-15
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Josh Bonner (Republican), Sandy Donatucci (Republican), Bill Hitchens (Republican), Danny Mathis (Republican), Brian Prince (Democrat), Bill Werkheiser (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Defense & Veterans Affairs, Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security, General Bill
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (247 yes, 22 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Georgia burial access expands for Hmong veterans: benefit, medium. The law adds Georgia veterans cemetery burial access for people who lived in Georgia at death. They must have served honorably in a Hmong Laotian special guerrilla unit supporting U.S. forces between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975. They must also have been lawfully admitted to the United States…
- More veterans qualify for Georgia cemetery burial: benefit, medium. The law expands Georgia veterans cemetery burial access for reserve members, including National Guard and Space Force Reserve members. Service must begin after January 1, 1973, include at least 24 months of honorable service, and complete the agreed term. Reserve members must leave service under ho…
- Criminal offenses limit Georgia veterans cemetery burial: cost, medium. Georgia veterans cemeteries must apply federal national cemetery burial bans involving certain criminal offenses. The law uses the bans in 38 U.S.C. Section 2411 as of January 1, 2026. These bans apply even when someone otherwise meets eligibility requirements or receives discretionary approval.
- Georgia veterans cemeteries can charge burial fees: cost, low. The Department of Veterans Service can charge a burial-services fee for each person buried in Georgia veterans cemeteries. The fee can follow the burial allowance for national cemetery burial or another amount set by the veterans service commissioner. The law sets no fixed dollar amount and does no…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Josh Bonner (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Sandy Donatucci (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Bill Hitchens (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Danny Mathis (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Brian Prince (Democrat), House
- Sponsor: Bill Werkheiser (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Rick Williams (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-27 | Senate | MOTION TO TABLE REMAINING LEGISLATION ON THE RULES CALENDAR | pass | 26 | 22 | 5 |
| 2026-03-27 | Senate | PASSAGE | pass | 48 | 0 | 3 |
| 2026-02-05 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 173 | 0 | 5 |

## Actions (17)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-11: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2026-05-11: Act 441
- 2026-04-07: 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)
- 2026-03-19: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: House Third Readers (House)
- 2026-02-05: House Passed/Adopted (House)
- 2026-01-28: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2026-01-27: House Second Readers (House)
- 2026-01-16: House First Readers (House)
- 2026-01-15: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 985/AP* (v3): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248112)

## 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 985/AP* (v3) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248112)

## 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-HB985-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).