# Georgia SB 79: "Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act"; enact

Georgia SB 79, "Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act"; enact, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican) and 23 others; status signed, last action 2025-07-01 (Effective Date); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB79-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia SB 79
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: "Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act"; enact
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-03
- Last action: 2025-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican), Brandon Beach (Republican), Timothy Bearden (Republican), Max Burns (Republican), Clint Dixon (Republican), Greg Dolezal (Republican), Drew Echols (Republican), Steve Gooch (Republican), Russ Goodman (Republican), Billy Hickman (Republican), Mike Hodges (Republican), Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), John F. Kennedy (Republican), Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Chuck Payne (Republican), Randy Robertson (Republican), Shawn Still (Republican), Brian Strickland (Republican), Carden Summers (Republican), Blake Tillery (Republican), Larry Walker (Republican), Ben Watson (Republican), Sam Watson (Republican), Rick Williams (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Judiciary Non-Civil, Judiciary, General Bill
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (329 yes, 96 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Informants can get $1,000 trafficking rewards: benefit, medium. A person may receive $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction for trafficking under Georgia Code Section 16-13-31. Law enforcement officers cannot receive this reward. The law begins July 1, 2025, and covers offenses committed on or after that date.
- Trafficking convictions block dog registration certificates: cost, low. People with felony trafficking convictions under Georgia Code Sections 16-13-31 or 16-13-31.1 cannot receive a dog ownership registration certificate. The restriction begins July 1, 2025, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
- Trafficking defendants face tighter release rules: cost, low. The law applies release rules to trafficking cases under Georgia Code Section 16-13-31. People convicted and sentenced to at least five years in prison cannot get an appeal bond under the covered rule. Trafficking charges are also included among offenses subject to limits on unsecured judicial rele…
- Trafficking inmates face parole release limits: cost, low. For trafficking under Georgia Code Sections 16-13-31 or 16-13-31.1, parole generally requires seven years served on good behavior or one-third of the prison term, whichever comes first. Parole cannot be granted to manage prison populations. Inmates imprisoned for felony trafficking under Section 16…
- Trafficking penalties cover weapons and repeat offenders: cost, low. The law applies existing weapons and repeat-offender penalty rules to trafficking under Georgia Code Section 16-13-31. The firearm-or-knife rule covers possession while committing or attempting trafficking. Enhanced penalties cover use of a machine gun, sawed-off rifle or shotgun, or firearm with a…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: John Albers (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Lee Anderson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Brandon Beach (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Timothy Bearden (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Max Burns (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Clint Dixon (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Greg Dolezal (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Drew Echols (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Steve Gooch (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Russ Goodman (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Billy Hickman (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Mike Hodges (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: John F. Kennedy (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Kay Kirkpatrick (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: Larry Walker (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Ben Watson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Sam Watson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Rick Williams (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: James Burchett (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-28 | House | Immediately Transmit | pass | 99 | 62 | 4 |
| 2025-03-28 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-28 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 131 | 31 | 3 |
| 2025-02-26 | Senate | PASSAGE | pass | 50 | 3 | 2 |

## Actions (18)

- 2025-07-01: Effective Date
- 2025-05-12: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2025-05-12: Act 123
- 2025-04-07: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-03-28: House Third Readers (House)
- 2025-03-28: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- 2025-03-28: House Immediately Transmitted to Senate (House)
- 2025-03-28: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
- 2025-03-27: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2025-03-27: House Postponed (House)
- 2025-02-28: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-02-27: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-02-26: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: Senate Hopper (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB 79/AP* (v7): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238107)

## 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 79/AP* (v7) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238107)

## 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)
- [Georgia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia/bills)
- [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB79-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).