Votes at a glance: Judiciary Committee advances multiple bills including platform‑takedown penalties, religious‑service protections, and tougher violent‑felony
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Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved several bills: a digital identity‑fraud platform takedown bill passed unanimously; a measure extending protections to religious services passed 5‑2; a set of violent‑felony sentencing increases passed 4‑3; a residential firearm‑violence housing substitute was tabled 4‑3; the committee also moved a civil‑procedure notice bill forward.
The Senate Judiciary Committee considered a package of bills and recorded several outcomes during the session.
Key votes at a glance
• Digital identity fraud / platform response (presented as LC492737 / described as SB 594): sponsor outlined criminal penalties and required platform takedown or review windows (72 hours for platform review; 48 hours if law enforcement submits an incident report); the committee moved and the motion passed unanimously.
• SB 591 (add religious services to protections against interruption): sponsor said the bill adds houses of worship to the existing statute that bans disrupting funerals, retains a 500‑foot buffer and creates aggravated‑misdemeanor penalties for disruption of military honors; the committee passed the bill, 5 in favor, 2 opposed.
• SB 592 (violent‑felon sentencing expansion): sponsor described substantial increases to mandatory minimums and expansion of offenses that would carry longer sentences, including life‑without‑parole in limited child‑victim circumstances; the committee recorded a do‑pass motion that carried, 4‑3.
• SB 413 substitute (residential firearm violence / lease termination): presenters and the Georgia Apartment Association raised concerns about the definition of injury, use of broad third‑party affidavits, and the need for expedited eviction/termination processes; after debate the committee voted to table the matter to allow further drafting and stakeholder work (motion to table carried 4‑3).
• SB 532 (notice in default judgments): sponsor said the bill is a narrow procedural fix to ensure notice and participation when courts consider damages in default proceedings; the committee voted to pass the bill (vote recorded in session).
Committee members asked for technical clarifications and potential friendly amendments on several bills; some items were advanced with close margins, and one housing‑related measure was tabled for further work.
