Georgia House passes measures on drone security, pharmacy reimbursement, workforce training and other bills

The Georgia House of Representatives on Friday passed a package of bills addressing unmanned aircraft systems, pharmacy reimbursement for the State Health Benefit Plan, workforce development, and several other measures.

The most contested measures were two drone bills: House Bill 205, which directs the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) to compile a cleared list of unmanned aircraft systems for state and local government use, and House Bill 58, which makes it a misdemeanor to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) over certain ticketed entertainment events without exemptions for FAA‑authorized operators, consent, or event employees. Both bills passed on recorded votes after committee substitutes and floor debate.

Why it matters: HB 205 addresses national‑security and data‑security concerns raised by federal agencies about foreign‑made UAS. HB 196 targets reimbursement rules that state lawmakers and pharmacists say have forced some independent pharmacies to close. HB 192 modifies state education code to further align career‑technical programs with a high‑demand workforce list. Other measures removed duplicative steps for international adoptees and clarified law enforcement procedures for roadside citation signatures.

House Bill 205: cleared list for government drones

Representative Clark presented House Bill 205 as a security measure responding to concerns that many commercial drones are designed or assembled abroad and can transmit collected data. Clark told the chamber the measure directs GEMA and the Homeland Security Agency to develop and publish a cleared list of approved UAS by Dec. 1, 2025, and prohibits state and local agencies from acquiring non‑approved drones beginning Jan. 1, 2028. "Drones must not be capable of transmitting data to unauthorized parties," Clark said on the floor. Supporters said the…