GeorgiaSB 2072025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Professions and Businesses; a preclearance process in the licensing of individuals with criminal records who make application to or are investigated by certain licensing boards and commissions; create

Sponsored By: John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican), Max Burns (Republican), Bill Cowsert (Republican), Kim Jackson (Democrat), Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Elena Parent (Democrat), Chuck Payne (Republican), Ed Setzler (Republican), Brian Strickland (Republican), Carden Summers (Republican), Blake Tillery (Republican), Ben Watson (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Judiciary Non-CivilJudiciaryGeneral Bill

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10 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Incarcerated barbering students gain testing protections

Beginning July 1, 2027, incarceration alone cannot trigger the specified criminal-record rule for barbering or cosmetology applicants. The board must apply that rule the same way it does for applicants outside prison. It must test incarcerated applicants who completed a Department of Corrections barber or cosmetologist training program and meet state testing requirements. Testing does not guarantee a license.

Job seekers get early license record reviews

The law creates early criminal-record reviews for covered professional licenses, including accounting, engineering, pest control, insurance, and public adjusting. The licensing changes begin July 1, 2027. People can petition before starting or finishing training, including while incarcerated. Petitions must include the criminal record or permission to obtain it; rehabilitation evidence can support the request. Insurance petitions must also include information about the circumstances and rehabilitation. A favorable answer binds the authority only after the person applies, meets all other requirements, and has an accurate, unchanged record. Adverse predeterminations require a hearing within 60 days of receiving the petition. Final decisions are due within 60 days after complete submission or the hearing, whichever is later. Denials must explain the reasons, appeal rights, and steps that can cure disqualification. Applicants generally must show that their record does not directly relate to the job. They can petition again one year after final judgment, or sooner after completing the listed remedial steps.

Pest control applicants gain exam protections

Beginning July 1, 2027, conviction-based refusal of a pest control exam requires a directly related felony or covered misdemeanor. The commission must weigh the offense, age, time passed, circumstances, rehabilitation, and current fitness. It must prove the direct relationship using a more-likely-than-not standard. It cannot use or demand disclosure of listed records, including arrests without convictions, specified completed cases, non-jailable convictions, and juvenile cases. Misdemeanors older than five years are excluded unless state law lists them as exceptions. Other convictions generally are excluded after five years, measured from release when incarceration occurred, except for listed serious felony categories.

Real estate workers gain criminal-record protections

Beginning July 1, 2027, real estate and appraiser authorities must tie conviction-based denial or discipline directly to the work. They must weigh the offense, personal circumstances, rehabilitation, and current fitness. The authority must show that the record more likely than not supports an adverse decision. For license termination or revocation, authorities cannot use or demand disclosure of listed excluded records. These include arrests without convictions, specified completed diversion or first-offender cases, non-jailable convictions, and cleared convictions. Real estate revocation rules also exclude juvenile adjudications. An exception allows consideration of specified pleas while the person is still serving a qualifying first-offender sentence.

Some felony pleas allow firefighter certification

Beginning July 1, 2027, the firefighter council may certify and employ people with qualifying felony pleas under Georgia's first-offender provisions. They must successfully complete their sentences and meet all other firefighter qualifications. They must provide information about the plea's circumstances if the council requests it. Approval remains at the council's discretion.

Visiting massage therapists gain permit access

Beginning July 1, 2027, only a directly related felony triggers the felony bar for a six-month provisional massage permit. Applicants must live outside Georgia and hold and maintain a valid massage license from another state. They cannot have had a massage license or permit voided, revoked, suspended, denied, or annulled anywhere. The provision also addresses specified no-contest pleas and pleas with a qualifying first-offender sentence still being served.

Engineers and chiropractors face revised conviction rules

For engineers, land surveyors, and chiropractors, the law replaces crimes involving 'moral turpitude' with felonies and covered misdemeanors. These records can support license denial, suspension, or revocation, subject to the required criminal-record review. For engineering and surveying, a no-contest plea counts as a conviction, but a pardoned conviction does not. The engineering rule covers specified U.S. jurisdictions and offenses elsewhere that count as felonies in Georgia. Chiropractic rules also address specified no-contest pleas and people currently serving qualifying first-offender sentences. These licensing changes begin July 1, 2027.

Fairer license reviews, new worker duties

Beginning July 1, 2027, the licensing changes in Parts I–IV apply to applications submitted on or after that date. Covered Georgia boards cannot deny or revoke a license just because someone has a criminal record. A felony or covered misdemeanor must directly relate to the job. Covered misdemeanors include convictions within five years before applying and offenses listed in state law, regardless of age. Boards must weigh the offense, age, time passed, circumstances, rehabilitation, and current fitness. Before a record-based denial, applicants get written notice and 30 days to correct errors or provide supporting evidence. A timely written request secures a hearing; decisions are due within 60 days after complete submission or the hearing, whichever is later. Denial findings must be served within 60 days, explain appeal and reapplication rights, and remain on file for at least five years. Applicants generally bear the burden of showing their record does not directly relate to the job in administrative appeals. Licensed workers must report felony convictions within 10 days; failure can lead to revocation. Boards must explain record-review and appeal rules online and on applications, and report licensing outcomes annually by March 31.

Real estate licensing paths include waiting periods

The law provides a licensing path for appraisers, brokers, and salespeople with directly related convictions, but requires sentence completion. A single qualifying conviction requires at least two years after all sentence terms are completed. Multiple convictions require at least five years after completing the sentence for the last conviction. Applicants must have no pending charges listed by the law. They must also provide satisfactory proof of good reputation, honesty, trustworthiness, integrity, and competence. Certain broker and associate-broker rules use a 10-year lookback. These licensing changes begin July 1, 2027.

Trafficking victims get free, sealed petition records

Beginning July 1, 2026, trafficking-victim defendants filing qualifying sentence-vacatur petitions get the required state criminal-history report without a fee. The report can be completed within 10 business days before filing, instead of three business days. Clerks must accept qualifying petitions under seal without a court order. Related filings, hearings, recordings, transcripts, orders, and court documents must also remain sealed without another order.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Tyler Paul Smith
Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 488 • No: 3

Senate vote • 4/2/2026

AGREE TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

Yes: 50 • No: 0 • Other: 3

House vote • 3/31/2026

Agree to SAm to HSub As HAm

Yes: 160 • No: 3 • Other: 8

House vote • 4/4/2025

PASSAGE

Yes: 170 • No: 0 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 4/4/2025

AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE AS AMENDED

Yes: 53 • No: 0 • Other: 2

Senate vote • 3/6/2025