Georgia Senate receives committee reports on multiple bills, adopts 'Physicians Day' resolution and schedules next session

The Georgia State Senate on Feb. 5, 2025, received committee reports on multiple bills, read several measures for further consideration including a second reading of Senate Bill 6, adopted Senate Resolution 47 recognizing Physicians Day at the state capitol and agreed to stand adjourned until 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025.

The actions matter because the committee reports and second readings set a number of bills on track for later debate and possible floor votes, while the adopted resolution formally recognized physicians gathered at the capitol and scheduled the chamber's next session.

Secretary Reid reported committee recommendations to the full body. The senate committee on Children and Families recommended “do pass” on Senate Bill 8; the Senate Committee on Education and Youth returned “do pass” recommendations on Senate Bills 22 and 44; the Insurance and Labor Committee reported Senate Bills 35 and 39 “do pass by substitute.” The Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities reported Senate Bill 13 “do pass,” and the Committee on Retirement reported Senate Bill 23 “do pass.” Senator Merritt gave notice he will introduce a minority report to be read with the majority report on Senate Bill 39 per Senate Rule 2-1.6.

Several bills were placed on the record in first-readings, including a series of measures numbered in the high 80s and 90s. Among those introduced and read were bills described on the floor as addressing modernization of notarial and court services using electronic tools (Senate Bill 90), amendments touching on regulation of legal practice and notaries (portions of Senate Bill 90 and related measures), and a bill concerning limitations on the use of electronic monitoring devices and related privacy provisions referenced as Senate Bill 97. The secretary also read Senate Bill 6 for the second time; that bill was described as relating to controlled substances and authorizing the use of testing equipment to determine whether a controlled substance has been adulterated.

Senate Resolution 47, introduced by Senator Watson (1st District), recognized February 5, 2025, as Physicians Day at the state capitol and highlighted the presence of physicians and hospital representatives in the building. The chair said there was no objection to adoption and the resolution was adopted.

At the close of the session, the chamber approved a motion to adjourn until 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 6. The motion was made on the floor and carried on a voice vote; the chair announced the ayes had it.

The secretary announced committee meeting schedules for the remainder of the day, including meetings of the Public Safety Committee and Finance Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee later in the afternoon.

Notes: Where the transcript records only committee recommendations or readings without a formal roll-call on the floor, this article reports the committee actions and the second-reading status as announced on the Senate floor. Specific bill texts, fiscal notes and subsequent scheduling were not provided on the record excerpted here.