# Georgia SB 587: Offenses Against Public Health and Morals; the establishment of an animal cruelty database; provide

Georgia SB 587, Offenses Against Public Health and Morals; the establishment of an animal cruelty database; provide, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by John Albers (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican), Timothy Bearden (Republican) and 21 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB587-2025-2026
- 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 587
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Offenses Against Public Health and Morals; the establishment of an animal cruelty database; provide
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-25
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: John Albers (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican), Timothy Bearden (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican), Max Burns (Republican), Bill Cowsert (Republican), Jason T. Dickerson (Republican), Frank Ginn (Republican), Russ Goodman (Republican), Marty Harbin (Republican), Bo Hatchett (Republican), Billy Hickman (Republican), Mike Hodges (Republican), Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Steven McNeel (Republican), Chuck Payne (Republican), Randy Robertson (Republican), Shawn Still (Republican), Brian Strickland (Republican), Carden Summers (Republican), Blake Tillery (Republican), Sam Watson (Republican), Rick Williams (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Judiciary Non-Civil, Public Safety, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (265 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Free animal cruelty records for placement: benefit, low. Subject to appropriations or other available funding, Georgia's Prosecuting Attorneys' Council must create a statewide animal cruelty database by January 1, 2027. Its website must offer free public searches and updates at least monthly. Shelters, animal protection and control agencies, and the publ…
- New court tool for adult safety: benefit, low. Georgia superior courts can issue orders to locate the guardian of record for a disabled adult, elder person, or resident. This applies during an open investigation into exploitation or intimidation under Georgia Code Section 16-5-102. The person must have been moved from a known address to an unkn…
- New court tool for child safety: benefit, low. Georgia superior courts can issue orders to locate a child's parent or guardian of record during an open child-cruelty investigation. The child must have been moved from a known address to an unknown location. The court must be in the county of the known address. A law enforcement official must sho…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: John Albers (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Lee Anderson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Timothy Bearden (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Matt Brass (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Max Burns (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Bill Cowsert (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Jason T. Dickerson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Frank Ginn (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Russ Goodman (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Marty Harbin (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Bo Hatchett (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Billy Hickman (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Mike Hodges (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Steven McNeel (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Chuck Payne (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Randy Robertson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Shawn Still (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Brian Strickland (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Carden Summers (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Blake Tillery (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Sam Watson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Rick Williams (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Beth Camp (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-31 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE | pass | 48 | 0 | 4 |
| 2026-03-31 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 163 | 0 | 8 |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | PASSAGE AS AMENDED | pass | 54 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (20)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-11: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2026-05-11: Act 498
- 2026-04-10: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: House Third Readers (House)
- 2026-03-31: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- 2026-03-31: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
- 2026-03-27: House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- 2026-03-25: House Postponed (House)
- 2026-03-19: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2026-03-10: House Second Readers (House)
- 2026-03-09: House First Readers (House)
- 2026-03-06: Senate Tabled (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Senate Hopper (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB 587/AP* (v8): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248676)

## 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 587/AP* (v8) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248676)

## 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-SB587-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).