Georgia SB 485 — Professional Counselors; applicants for a license in social work enrolled in a master's degree program to take the master's social work licensing examination in their final semester of the program; authorize
Georgia, 2025_26. SB 485: Professional Counselors; applicants for a license in social work enrolled in a master's degree program to take the master's social work licensing examinat
Latest action
July 1, 2026 — Effective Date
Summary
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 10A of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to examination regarding professional counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists, so as to authorize applicants for a license in social work enrolled in a master's degree program to take the master's social work licensing examination in their final semester of the program; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Sponsors
- Chuck Payne — primary sponsor
- Jason Anavitarte — primary sponsor
- Kay Kirkpatrick — primary sponsor
- Ed Setzler — primary sponsor
- Randy Robertson — primary sponsor
- Billy Hickman — primary sponsor
- Chuck Hufstetler — primary sponsor
- Max Burns — primary sponsor
- Frank Ginn — primary sponsor
- Bill Cowsert — primary sponsor
- Carden Summers — primary sponsor
- Mike Hodges — primary sponsor
- Ben Watson — primary sponsor
- Bo Hatchett — primary sponsor
Bill text
SB 485/AP* Read version ↗
LC 56 0672S/hss Read version ↗
As Passed Senate Read version ↗
As introduced LC 56 0563 Read version ↗
Recorded votes
House Vote #747 - 2025-2026 Regular Session
March 23, 2026 · House · pass
yes: 121 · no: 46 · other: 13
Official vote source ↗Individual member positions (176)
| Member | Vote |
|---|---|
| CANNON | yes |
| CANNON | other |
| CAMPBELL | yes |
| CAMPBELL | no |
| CAMP | yes |
| CAMERON | yes |
| BYRD | no |
| BURNS | other |
| BURNOUGH | no |
| BURCHETT | yes |
| BUCKNER | yes |
| BONNER | yes |
| BLACKMON | yes |
| BERRY | no |
| BELL | no |
| BECKLES | no |
| BAZEMORE | no |
| BARTON | yes |
| BARRETT | yes |
| BARNES | no |
| BALLARD | yes |
| BAKER | no |
| AU | other |
| ANDERSON | yes |
| ALI | no |
| ALEXANDER | no |
| ADEYINA | no |
| ADESANYA | yes |
| YEARTA | yes |
| WILLIS | no |
| WILLIAMSON | other |
| WILLIAMS, JR. | yes |
| WILLIAMS | no |
| WILLIAMS | no |
| WILKERSON | no |
| WESTBROOK | no |
| WERKHEISER | yes |
| WASHBURN | other |
| WADE | yes |
| TRAN | yes |
| TOWNSEND | yes |
| THOMAS | yes |
| TAYLOR | yes |
| TAYLOR | no |
| TARVIN | yes |
| STINSON | yes |
| STEPHENS | yes |
| SMITH | yes |
| SMITH | yes |
| SMITH | no |
| SMITH | yes |
| SILCOX | yes |
| SEABAUGH | yes |
| SCOTT | no |
| SCOGGINS | yes |
| SCHOFIELD | no |
| SANTOS | yes |
| SANCHEZ | no |
| SAMPSON | no |
| SAINZ | yes |
| ROMMAN | yes |
| ROBERTS | no |
| RIDLEY | yes |
| RIDLEY | yes |
| RICHARDSON | yes |
| RICE | yes |
| RHODES | yes |
| REEVES | yes |
| REESE | yes |
| PRINCE | yes |
| POWELL | yes |
| PETREA | yes |
| PERSINGER | yes |
| PARSONS | yes |
| PARRISH | yes |
| PARK | no |
| PARIS | no |
| PANITCH | yes |
| O'STEEN | yes |
| OLIVER | yes |
| JONES | yes |
| JONES | yes |
| JENKINS | yes |
| JASPERSE | yes |
| JACKSON | other |
| JACKSON | other |
| JACKSON | yes |
| HUGLEY | other |
| HUDDLESTON | yes |
| HOWARD | yes |
| HOWARD | yes |
| HORNER | yes |
| HONG | yes |
| HOLLY | no |
| HOLLAND | yes |
| HOLCOMB | yes |
| HITCHENS | yes |
| HILTON | yes |
| HERRING | yes |
| HAWKINS | yes |
| HATCHETT | yes |
| HAGAN | yes |
| GUNTER | yes |
| GULLETT | yes |
| GRIFFIN | no |
| GREENE | yes |
| GLAIZE | yes |
| GISLER | yes |
| GILLIARD | other |
| GAMBILL | yes |
| GAINES | yes |
| FRYE | no |
| FRANKLIN | yes |
| FORD | yes |
| FLOURNOY | no |
| FLEMING | yes |
| FINCHER | yes |
| EVANS | yes |
| ERWIN | yes |
| EHRHART | yes |
| EFSTRATION | yes |
| DUNAHOO | yes |
| DUBNIK | yes |
| DRENNER | yes |
| DRAPER | yes |
| DOUGLAS | no |
| DONATUCCI | yes |
| DICKEY | yes |
| DEMPSEY | yes |
| DELOACH | yes |
| DAWSON | no |
| DAVIS | no |
| CUMMINGS | no |
| CROWE | yes |
| CRAWFORD | no |
| COX | yes |
| CORBETT | yes |
| COOPER | yes |
| CLIFTON | yes |
| CLARK | no |
| CLARK | yes |
| CHEOKAS | yes |
| CHASTAIN | yes |
| CARTER | no |
| CARSON | yes |
| CARPENTER | yes |
| OLALEYE | no |
| OKOYE | yes |
| NEWTON | yes |
| NEW | yes |
| NEAL | yes |
| MYLES | no |
| MOORE | yes |
| MOMTAHAN | yes |
| MITCHELL | yes |
| MILLER | yes |
| MEEKS | yes |
| MCQUEEN | no |
| MCDONALD III | yes |
| MCCOLLUM | yes |
| MCCLAIN | no |
| MATHIS | yes |
| MATHIAK | yes |
| MARTINEZ | yes |
| MARTIN | yes |
| LUPTON | no |
| LUMSDEN | yes |
| LIM | no |
| LEWIS-WARD | no |
| LEVERETT | yes |
| LAHOOD | yes |
| KENDRICK | no |
| KELLEY | yes |
| KAHAIAN | no |
| JONES | yes |
| JONES | yes |
Senate Vote #665 - 2025-2026 Regular Session
March 6, 2026 · Senate · pass
yes: 48 · no: 0 · other: 8
Official vote source ↗Individual member positions (55)
| Member | Vote |
|---|---|
| WILLIAMS | yes |
| WICKS | yes |
| WATSON | other |
| WATSON | yes |
| WALKER, III | other |
| TILLERY | yes |
| SUMMERS | yes |
| STRICKLAND | yes |
| STILL | yes |
| SIMS | yes |
| SETZLER | other |
| ROBERTSON | yes |
| RHETT | yes |
| RAHMAN | other |
| PAYNE | yes |
| PARKES | yes |
| PARENT | other |
| ORROCK | yes |
| MERRITT | yes |
| MCNEEL | yes |
| MCLAURIN | yes |
| MANGHAM | yes |
| MALLOW | yes |
| LUCAS | yes |
| KIRKPATRICK | yes |
| KEMP | yes |
| JONES II | yes |
| JONES | yes |
| JAMES | yes |
| JACKSON | yes |
| HUFSTETLER | yes |
| HOWARD | yes |
| HODGES | yes |
| HICKMAN | yes |
| HATCHETT | other |
| HARRELL | yes |
| HARBISON | yes |
| HARBIN | yes |
| HALPERN | yes |
| GOODMAN | yes |
| GOOCH | other |
| GINN | yes |
| ECHOLS | yes |
| DOLEZAL | yes |
| DIXON | yes |
| DICKERSON | yes |
| DAVENPORT | yes |
| COWSERT | yes |
| BURNS | yes |
| BRASS | yes |
| BEARDEN | yes |
| ANDERSON | yes |
| ANDERSON | yes |
| ANAVITARTE | yes |
| ALBERS | yes |
Senate Vote #856 - 2025-2026 Regular Session
March 27, 2026 · Senate · pass
yes: 46 · no: 0 · other: 10
Official vote source ↗Individual member positions (54)
| Member | Vote |
|---|---|
| LUCAS | yes |
| KIRKPATRICK | yes |
| KEMP | yes |
| JONES II | yes |
| JONES | yes |
| JAMES | yes |
| JACKSON | other |
| HUFSTETLER | yes |
| HOWARD | other |
| HODGES | yes |
| HICKMAN | yes |
| HATCHETT | yes |
| HARRELL | yes |
| HARBISON | other |
| HARBIN | yes |
| HALPERN | other |
| GOODMAN | yes |
| GOOCH | yes |
| GINN | yes |
| ECHOLS | yes |
| DOLEZAL | yes |
| DIXON | yes |
| DICKERSON | yes |
| DAVENPORT | yes |
| COWSERT | yes |
| BURNS | yes |
| BRASS | yes |
| BEARDEN | yes |
| ANDERSON | yes |
| ANDERSON | yes |
| ANAVITARTE | yes |
| ALBERS | yes |
| WILLIAMS | yes |
| WICKS | other |
| WATSON | yes |
| WATSON | yes |
| WALKER, III | yes |
| TILLERY | yes |
| SUMMERS | yes |
| STRICKLAND | yes |
| STILL | yes |
| SIMS | other |
| SETZLER | yes |
| ROBERTSON | yes |
| RHETT | other |
| RAHMAN | yes |
| PAYNE | yes |
| PARENT | yes |
| ORROCK | yes |
| MERRITT | yes |
| MCNEEL | yes |
| MCLAURIN | yes |
| MANGHAM | yes |
| MALLOW | other |
Legislative history
- Effective Date
- Act 514
- Senate Date Signed by Governor
- Senate Sent to Governor
- Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute
- House Third Readers
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- House Second Readers
- House First Readers
- Senate Passed/Adopted
- Senate Third Read
- Senate Taken from Table
- Senate Tabled
- Senate Read Second Time
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported
- Senate Read and Referred
- Senate Hopper
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