Senate committee advances package of bills including housing-board changes, guardianship, drones and school attendance reforms

A Georgia State Senate committee on Tuesday recommended that six measures be reported favorably to the full Senate, voting unanimously by voice to recommend “do pass.” The bills and resolutions covered a mix of statewide policy and local matters, including a governor’s cleanup bill that alters multiple advisory bodies, a bill to allow county guardians to serve as conservators, a prohibition on purchasing drones manufactured by companies primarily owned in China, steps to restore local attendance-review teams in chronically absent districts, and two resolutions.

The committee chair convened the session and called the bills in sequence; after brief presentations and limited questions from senators, the committee took a single voice vote to move the listed measures forward. “All in favor, say aye.” “Aye.” “All opposed, say nay.” “Motion passes unanimous,” the chair said.

Why it matters: the measures reach a range of day-to-day and structural issues that affect state agencies, local governments and vulnerable populations. Several are intended as procedural fixes (a governor’s cleanup bill) while others would change how courts, local governments and state agencies operate or purchase equipment.

Senate Bill 96

Senator Echols described Senate Bill 96 as a governor’s bill that eliminates a…