Senate committee recommends substitute for House Bill 147 requiring AI inventories, model policies; adds AG role for charter school TEFRA reviews

The Senate Committee on Science and Technology voted 3-1 to recommend passage of a committee substitute for House Bill 147 (LC 59,161S), directing the Georgia Technology Authority to inventory government uses of artificial intelligence, publish model policies and procedures, and require local governments to disclose AI systems by the end of 2027. The substitute also adds a provision allowing the Georgia attorney general's office to validate TEFRA-related executive-agency reviews for state-approved charter school bond financings.

The committee substitute combines language from a House bill and elements of Senate Bill 37. Chair, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, told members the substitute "adds to the list of 32 things the technology authority is in statute, directed to do" and would create a publicly accessible website listing government AI uses. Representative Thomas, the bill's author, described the measure as aimed at transparency: "This is simply a disclosure bill, what AI is being used by government entities. That's all."

Why it matters: the substitute seeks to give the public a single, searchable place to see where state and, later, local governments use AI, and to provide model, nonbinding guidance for procurement and oversight. Supporters said the approach is intentionally limited and phased to reduce burden on local governments; one amendment clarifies the timeline for contracted systems.

Key provisions and timeline - Inventory and public disclosure (state): The Georgia Technology Authority must develop and publish an inventory of AI systems in use by state departments and agencies. The inventory will include each system's name, a description of its general capabilities, whether it can make or inform independent decisions, and a short overview of any impact assessment the agency used before deployment. The committee described this as a "light touch" public record rather than a regulatory regime.

- Model policies and procedures (state and local): By December 31, 2026, the authority must develop model policies and procedures concerning development, procurement, implementation and utilization of AI for use at the discretion of state and local governments. The substitute does not make those policies binding; the chair said local governments retain "sole discretion" over whether to adopt them.

- Local reporting: Beginning December 31, 2027, local governments will report AI systems to the Georgia Technology Authority so the public can see inventories for counties and cities.

- Impact assessments and contract cutoff: The bill directs that the inventory show whether a system underwent an impact assessment prior to implementation. Committee counsel read and the committee adopted an amendment clarifying that "to the extent a system is provided pursuant to a contract, this subparagraph shall only apply to systems provided pursuant to contracts entered into or renewed after 07/01/2025." Mr. Fortson, committee counsel, read that language into the record during the meeting.

Section 3: attorney general and charter school bond reviews The substitute adds a provision in Title 50 to allow the Georgia attorney general's office to perform the state-level review that federal rules (often called TEFRA hearings) require for tax-exempt bond financings of state-approved charter school facilities. The chair explained that while local development authorities or city entities typically perform such reviews, a statewide reviewer is appropriate when a charter school has a statewide attendance zone and the financing affects multiple counties: "We've never specifically given the attorney general the power in Georgia to do that. And that's what we're doing here."

Committee action and next steps Senator Wicks moved the committee's recommendation of "Do Pass" for the committee substitute; the motion was seconded and the committee adopted the substitute and a cleanup amendment addressing local contracts. The committee recorded the recommendation by voice vote with a tally described in the hearing as 3 in favor and 1 opposed. The chair closed the hearing after the vote.

What the bill does not do The substitute does not create new binding statewide procurement rules for AI, does not define unlawful discrimination by AI in code, and does not itself ban or require specific uses of AI. The chair and Representative Thomas said the measure focuses on disclosure, model best practices and public awareness rather than substantive regulatory mandates.

A copy of the committee substitute (LC 59,161S) and the amendment limiting retroactive impact-assessment requirements to contracts entered or renewed after 07/01/2025 were read into the record during the hearing.