Georgia legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Georgia HB256: Social services; foster parents bill of rights; revise provisions
Status: Signed into law, May 11, 2026
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to programs and protection for children, so as to revise provisions relating to the foster parents bill of rights; to provide for definitions; to provide that such rights include relative caregivers and fictive kin; to provide for the development of administrative procedures; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
What the bill says
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to the juvenile code, so as to require the recording of all proceedings under the juvenile code; to establish the right of parties to obtain a full and complete record of proceedings under the juvenile code; to establish the right of the Department of Human Services to obtain a full and complete record of proceedings under the juvenile code in which it has been permitted to participate by the juvenile court…
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED To amend Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to the juvenile code, so as to require the recording of all proceedings under the juvenile code; to establish the right of parties to obtain a full and complete record of proceedings under the juvenile code; to establish the right of the Department of Human Services to obtain a full and complete record of proceedings under the juvenile code in which it has been permitted to participate by the juvenile court; to amend Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to programs and protection for children, so as to revise provisions relating to the "Foster Placements Bill of Rights"; to provide for definitions; to provide that such rights include relative caregivers and fictive kin; to provide for the development of administrative procedures; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: H. B. HB 256/AP SECTION 1. Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to the juvenile code, is …