# Georgia SB 255: General Assembly; authorization of statutory investigatory powers to certain committees of the General Assembly; codify a process

Georgia SB 255, General Assembly; authorization of statutory investigatory powers to certain committees of the General Assembly; codify a process, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bill Cowsert (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-14 (Senate Date Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB255-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia SB 255
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: General Assembly; authorization of statutory investigatory powers to certain committees of the General Assembly; codify a process
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-25
- Last action: 2025-05-14, Senate Date Signed by Governor
- Sponsor: Bill Cowsert (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Rules, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (155 yes, 112 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Georgia legislative committees gain formal investigation powers: mixed, low. The law creates a formal process for authorizing Georgia legislative committees to investigate. Each chamber can authorize its standing committees through rules or a resolution; joint committees need joint rules or a resolution. Authorized committees can administer oaths, require sworn testimony an…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bill Cowsert (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Rob Leverett (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-04 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE | pass | 31 | 22 |   |
| 2025-04-02 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 91 | 67 | 3 |
| 2025-03-06 | Senate | PASSAGE | pass | 33 | 23 |   |

## Actions (16)

- 2025-05-14: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2025-05-14: Act 314
- 2025-05-14: Effective Date
- 2025-04-10: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-04: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: House Third Readers (House)
- 2025-04-02: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- 2025-03-27: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2025-03-11: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-03-10: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-03-06: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2025-03-03: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2025-02-25: Senate Hopper (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB 255/AP* (v7): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239533)

## 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
- [SB 255/AP* (v7) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239533)

## 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-SB255-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).