GJP'S POLICY AGENDA
Georgia Justice Project’s mission is to reduce the number of Georgians who are under correctional control and remove barriers to reentry. Our four policy priorities for the 2025 legislative session are listed below. You can learn more about GJP's history and approach to policy in this report.
A one-page summary of GJP’s 2026 policy priorities is here.
- 1 in 6 Georgia jobs requires an occupational license. The 40% of Georgians who have arrest or conviction records may be barred or discouraged from filling these jobs – even if their record is old, pardoned, or expunged.
- Transparency and ensuring only relevant records lead to licensure denial will empower thousands of qualified Georgians to apply their talents to urgent workforce needs.
- Status: Passed both the Senate and House in 2025, but the Senate and House voted on different versions of the bill. SB 207 will enter 2026 only needing the House to vote that they agree to the Senate’s version of SB 207.
RECORD RESTRICTION (SB 207 & HB 162): Clean Up and Modestly Expand Current Law
- Restriction Works: after record restriction, wages increase and recidivism plummets.
- Substantial reforms allowed for the restriction of certain convictions in 2020, but SB 207 would clean up small issues need to be cleaned up to make the law work for more Georgians.
- Also, HB 162 would modernize the First Offender Act, allowing it to live up to its promise to prevent a one-time mistake from resulting in a lifetime of barriers.
- Status: SB 207 needs a final vote on the House floor. HB 162 unanimously passed the House in 2025 and will enter 2026 needing to pass out of the Senate.
ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY INCARCERATION (HB 535): Count Time Served Consistently
- Recent case law reversed longstanding practices that acknowledged time served in jail for those awaiting probation revocation hearings.
- Treating time served in jail while awaiting a probation revocation hearing the same as time served while waiting for an adjudication of guilt in a new case reduces unnecessary incarceration.
- Status: Unanimously passed the House in 2025 and will enter 2026 needing to pass out of the Senate.
For nearly 40 years, Georgia Justice Project has advocated for individuals and communities affected by the criminal legal system – whether those currently facing charges, preparing to return home from incarceration, or living with an old criminal record. Our experience on the ground with our clients feeds directly into our policy work. Recent accomplishments include:
- SB 288, Expungement Reform (2020): A coalition of 6 major corporations, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, 77 partner organizations, and legislators from both parties teamed up to pass SB 288, making 1.5 million Georgians eligible for expungement.
- SB 105, Early Termination of Probation (2021): Georgia has the longest probation sentences in the U.S. SB 105 simplified and standardized early termination of probation.
- SB 10/HB 926, Driver’s License Suspensions (2022/2024): Driver’s licenses mean jobs. SB 10 and HB 926 reduce license suspensions and provide a clear path for reinstatement after missing traffic court.
- HB 582, Survivor Justice Act (2025): Georgia's new Survivor Justice Act represents the nation’s most comprehensive law designed to prevent survivors of domestic violence and child abuse from suffering harsh penalties for conduct related to their own survival. It works in multiple trauma-informed layers to prevent convictions, mitigate sentences, provide for resentencing, and enable victim-centered programs.
For more information about our current policy agenda, please contact:
Ann Colloton, Policy & Outreach Coordinator
Phone: (404) 827-0027, ext. 248
Email: Ann@GJP.org