Georgia’s 2026 Legislative Session—An Update at Crossover Day

Looking to do something right now to advocate for our state’s youngest children? Head over to GEEARS’ action center for important updates! 

Crossover Day came and went on March 6th. As always, GEEARS is here to highlight some of the bills and budget items that could have the greatest impact on Georgia’s youngest children, their families, and those who care for them. Let’s dive in. . . 

First, what is Crossover Day? (Keep scrolling if you already know this stuff!) 
Crossover Day is the final day in the legislative session for a bill to “cross over” from the chamber in which it was introduced to the other chamber. For example, a bill introduced in the House must pass the House in order to be considered in the Senate. 

Why is Crossover Day important? 
This is the second year of the legislative biennium (two-year term of the legislature). If a bill does not cross over this year, it effectively dies and would need to be reintroduced and start the process over in a future session. Bills that do cross over must then pass the other chamber before the final day of session, known as Sine Die. That said, language from a “dead” bill can still be incorporated into an active bill, so there is often some flexibility as the session moves forward. 

What about the budget? 
The Georgia General Assembly has one constitutional obligation during the legislative session: to pass a balanced budget. The budget follows a specific process: 

  1. The Governor releases a proposed budget. 
  2. The House develops and passes its version.  (Psst. We’re here now). 
  3. The Senate considers and passes its own version.  
  4. House and Senate leadership work together in a conference committee to reconcile differences and produce a final budget. 
  5. Finally, the Governor has the authority to veto (cancel) specific line items before signing.  

        So, where do we stand right now? 
        Crossover Day was Friday, March 6, and the House released its version of the budget for fiscal year 2027 (FY27) on Monday, March 9. The updates below reflect where key bills and the FY 27 budget stand as of March 12, 2026. This is not the final version of these bills or the budget. 

        What are the highlights of the legislative session so far? 

        One highlight was the introduction of the Families First legislative initiative by House leadership. The package included several proposals aligned with GEEARS’ priorities, such as expanding paid maternity leave for public sector employees from six to nine weeks, increasing access to DPH home visiting services, and addressing child care affordability. Notably, the proposal to use Lottery funds to support before- and after-school care for children in Pre-K could allow other CAPS funding to better serve children with disabilities, children in foster care, and other families in need. (If you’re wondering what magical math makes this possible, we explain below!) These investments represent an important step toward strengthening the supports available to Georgia’s youngest children and their families. 

        Legislative and Budget Updates 

        Early Childhood Education 

        • SB 554 would create a grant program to expand access to child care by providing funding for repairs, renovations, and expansions of child care facilities. This bill was heard in committee last week but did not cross over. GEEARS will continue to work on this legislation next session. GEEARS priority. 
        • HB 1281 would require child care providers to carry liability insurance. This bill did not cross over.  
        • HR 450, which would have allowed Georgians to vote on a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting via the Georgia Lottery Corporation, which funds Georgia’s Pre-K program, did not cross over. 
        • HB 634, The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act, would alter the existing Special Needs Scholarship while providing added transparency. For a child to be considered for the scholarship in kindergarten, they would have had to spend the prior year in Preschool Special Education. This bill crossed over and was assigned to the Senate Education and Youth Committee. 
        • HB 1146 would establish a pilot program to expand Georgia’s Pre-K program to three-year-olds. This bill did not cross over. GEEARS priority. 
        • HB 1123 would require public schools that offer Georgia’s Pre-K Program and afterschool care to allow Pre-K students to enroll in the afterschool program. The bill crossed over and was assigned to the Senate Children and Families Committee. 
        • Education-related budget items: 
          • $12M to reduce the classroom size for Georgia’s Pre-K Program from 22 to 20 students (year three of a four-year phase in). 
          • $9.7M in Lottery funds to support CAPS scholarships for before- and after-school care for eligible children enrolled in Georgia’s Pre-K program. While Lottery funds generally cannot be used for CAPS, this approach will allow other funds to be redirected to better serve other CAPS-eligible children, such as children with disabilities and children in foster care.   
          • $708K to expand the Rising Pre-K Summer Transition Program by adding 25 new classes during the 2026-2027 year. 
          • $3.9M to provide five paid days of professional learning for teachers in Georgia’s Pre-K program working in private child care settings.  

        Healthy Development 

        • HB 1096 allows employees of a county board of health to retain their accrued annual and sick leave if they transition to a position at the Georgia Department of Public Health’s state office. The bill originated from recommendations of the House Study Committee on Public Health Funding. This bill crossed over and was assigned to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. 
        • HB 1192 requires the Georgia Departments of Human Services (DHS) and Community Health (DCH) to keep funds designated for specific purposes in separate accounts and provide annual reports to the legislature. DHS and DCH administer Medicaid, the supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). This bill crossed over and has been assigned to the Senate Government Oversight Committee. 
        • HB 1276, which would have increased the stringency of Medicaid eligibility checks, did not cross over. 
        • HB 291 would create a certification for Community Health Workers. The Department of Public Health’s Home Visiting Program utilizes community health workers. The bill passed the House in the 2025 session and remains in play in the Senate. It is assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. 
        • HB 1402 requires vision and hearing screening for all public school students enrolled in Pre-K through third grade. This bill crossed over and has been assigned to the Senate Children and Families Committee. 
        • Health-related budget items: 
          • $6.9M for DPH’s Home Visiting Program. GEEARS priority. 
          • $45.3M to increase reimbursement rates for providers treating patients on Medicaid, including $7.6M for primary care physicians, $7.9M to create parity between in-home and in-office reimbursement for autism services, and $1.4M to increase prospective payment for federally-qualified health centers. Medicaid is a huge driver of children’s health care coverage in the state and covers 46% of all births and 42% of all children. 
          • $4M for the Mercer School of Medicine to pilot a pediatric residency with a rural training track. More than 60 rural counties in Georgia do not have a practicing pediatrician. 
          • $121K in state funding for eight new Katie Beckett Medicaid caseworkers to address increased workload and $20k in state funding to provide $3K salary enhancements for caseworkers. The Katie Beckett waiver allows children with complex medical needs who don’t otherwise qualify for Medicaid to receive it by “waiving” the income requirements. 
          • $350K to increase reimbursement rates for training parents of children with autism. 

        Family Supports 

        • SB 463 would limit the number of single-family properties that certain business entities can own, in an attempt to increase home ownership for Georgia families and affordability of housing stock. This bill crossed over and has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. 
        • HB 689 would establish a homelessness prevention program to support housing security for  Georgians with low incomes. Children under five are the most likely to experience eviction. This bill has crossed over and was assigned to the Senate Government Oversight Committee. GEEARS priority. 
        • HB 500 would increase the asset limit for families applying for the TANF program. This bill did not cross over. GEEARS Priority. 
        • HB 947 would increase the stringency of eligibility checks for SNAP recipients, potentially making it more difficult to receive and maintain SNAP benefits. This bill crossed over and has been assigned to the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. 
        • HB 1318 would create an actuarial study on paid parental leave for all employees across the state. This bill did not cross over. 
        • HB 1118 would provide an additional three weeks of paid maternity leave for state employees who are. State employees currently receive six weeks of paid parental leave. This bill crossed over and has been assigned to the Senate Children and Families Committee. GEEARS priority. 
        • HB 1422 would add stillbirth as a qualifying activity for paid parental leave for state employees. This bill did not cross over. 
        • Family supports in the budget: 
          • $10.98 million to DHS to fund additional staff, in an effort to reduce the SNAP error rate. 

         

        Looking to do something right now to advocate for our state’s youngest children? Head over to GEEARS’ action center for important updates! 

        Published:  March 16, 2026