Georgia legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Georgia SB207: Professions and Businesses; a preclearance process in the licensing of individuals with criminal records who make application to or are investigated by certain licensing boards and commissions; create
Status: Signed into law, May 12, 2026
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Titles 20, 26, 31, 33, and 43 of the O.C.G.A., relating to education, food, drugs, and cosmetics, health, insurance, and professions and businesses; to amend Chapter 4 of Title 25 of the O.C.G.A., relating to firefighter standards and training; to amend Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 35 of the O.C.G.A., relating to Georgia Crime Information Center; to amend Article 3 of Chapter 8 of Title 42 of the O.C.G.A., relating to first offenders; to amend Code Section 17-10-21 of the O.C.G.A., relating to vacating of sentence for trafficking victim defendants; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
What the bill says
To amend Titles 20, 26, 31, 33, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, food, drugs, and cosmetics, health, insurance, and professions and businesses, respectively, so as to create a preclearance process in the licensing of individuals with criminal records who make an application to or are investigated by certain licensing boards and commissions; to provide for definitions; to require certain licensing authorities to provide evidence to support adverse licensing decisions based on criminal convictions…
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED To amend Titles 20, 26, 31, 33, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, food, drugs, and cosmetics, health, insurance, and professions and businesses, respectively, so as to create a preclearance process in the licensing of individuals with criminal records who make an application to or are investigated by certain licensing boards and commissions; to provide for definitions; to require certain licensing authorities to provide evidence to support adverse licensing decisions based on criminal convictions; to require a hearing prior to denying certain applicants on the basis of an individual's criminal record; to establish findings that shall be made and evidence that shall and shall not be considered prior to refusing to grant certain licenses based on certain criminal convictions; to allow an applicant to submit his or her own criminal record when applying for certain licenses; to provide for reapplication for licensure; to authorize and provide a process and requirements for predetermination decisions; to require certain licensure application information be included in certain applications and posted on a public website; to require certain annual reports concerning certain applications, predeterminations, and conviction records to be filed with the Secretary of State; to amend Chapter 4 of Title 25 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to firefighter standards and …