HB 518 Georgia House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Sexual Assault Reform Act of 2025; enact

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to searches and seizures, so as to authorize the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to create and operate a state-wide sexual assault kit tracking system; to amend Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to law enforcement officers and agencies, so as to provide for the creation of the Forensic Medical Examination Advisory Committee; to provide for composition; to provide for rules; to provide for training protocols regarding forensic medical examinations; to provide for forensic testing; to provide a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 19, 2025 Last action Apr 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

LC 48 1481/a → LC 56 0352S/hs · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly rewritten to remove provisions for a state-wide sexual assault kit tracking system and instead focus on prohibiting the sale of over-the-counter sexual assault kits. The act's title was shortened, and the effective date for reporting requirements was changed from 2026 to 2022.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed by removing the mandate for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to create and operate a state-wide tracking system for sexual assault kits.

REQUIREMENT

Eliminated the requirement for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to create and operate a state-wide sexual assault kit tracking system.

TIMELINE

Changed the deadline for the council to submit an implementation plan from January 1, 2026, to January 1, 2022.

Changed the deadline for the first annual report on kit usage from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2022.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'over-the-counter sexual assault evidence kit' to explicitly include 'do-it-yourself' kits.

Revised the definition of 'unreported sexual assault kit' to remove the word 'alleged' before 'crime'.

SCOPE

Removed the provision creating the Forensic Medical Examination Advisory Committee and related training protocols.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 4, 2025

Committee

House Withdrawn, Recommitted

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Introduced

House Hopper

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors