Nonpartisan · Data from OpenStates / Plural Policy · Georgia
Votes with Republicans
98%
on 313 party-line votes · Senate Republicans median 97%
Cast a vote
94%
Yea or Nay on 1,295 of 1,374 roll calls · Senate median 94%
Their bills that became law
228 of 332
as a primary sponsor, this session · Republicans median 186
Roll calls on record
1,374
2025-2026 Regular Session
Votes and bills updated Oct 10, 2026 from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0), which republishes the legislature’s own records. Profile details from OpenStates / Plural Policy. Figures cover 2025-2026 Regular Session.
How Billy Hickman votes
A party-line vote is a roll call where most voting Democrats and most voting Republicans took opposite sides. Absences and not-voting are never counted. Same method as our Congress pages.
Where Billy Hickman sits in the Senate
Each dot is one member of the Senate, placed by how often they voted on the Democratic side of party-line votes. Billy Hickman is circled.
Always on the Republican sideAlways on the Democratic side
Times they broke with their party
7 of 313 party-line votes.
SB8 · Courts; arrest warrant requirements when juvenile courts are acting as courts of inquiry; provide
Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #964 · 2026-04-02 · Failed 26–26 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB424 · "Transactional Gold and Silver Act"; enact
Passage: Senate Vote #683 · 2026-03-06 · Passed 29–21 · most Republicans voted the other way
HB86 · Public officers and employees; calculating and setting the salaries of certain state officials; revise provisions
Motion To Reconsider Amendment #1: Senate Vote #295 · 2025-03-27 · Failed 23–31 · most Republicans voted the other way
HB86 · Public officers and employees; calculating and setting the salaries of certain state officials; revise provisions
Adoption Of Amendment #1 By The Senator From The 56th: Senate Vote #294 · 2025-03-27 · Passed 30–23 · most Republicans voted the other way
SR148 · Taiwan; recognize
Adoption Of Amendment #1 By The Senator From The 53rd: Senate Vote #241 · 2025-03-18 · Failed 22–29 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB163 · Brady Law Regulations; standards for bringing an action against the government for an unauthorized act relating to regulation of weapons; revise
Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #182 · 2025-03-06 · Passed 33–23 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB220 · "Putting Georgia's Patients First Act"; enact
In plain English Renames low THC oil as medical cannabis and revises criminal penalties for controlled substance offenses.
Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #176 · 2025-03-06 · Passed 39–17 · most Republicans voted the other way
Closest votes they cast
Roll calls decided by the fewest votes, one per bill.
SB556 · HOPE Scholarship; the inclusion of advanced placement and international baccalaureate fine arts courses in the calculation of grade point averages; provide
In plain English Includes advanced placement and international baccalaureate fine arts courses in grade point average calculations for HOPE scholarship eligibility.
Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #958 · 2026-04-02 · Failed 25–25
SB8 · Courts; arrest warrant requirements when juvenile courts are acting as courts of inquiry; provide
Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #964 · 2026-04-02 · Failed 26–26
HB61 · Motor vehicles; issuance of separate license plates for hearses and ambulances; provide
Adoption Of Amend #1a By Sen From The 14th To Amend #1 By Sen From The 14th: Senate Vote #767 · 2026-03-20 · Failed 24–26
HB360 · Revenue and taxation; rehabilitation of historic structures; revise tax credit
Passage: Senate Vote #333 · 2025-03-28 · Passed 26–24
SB254 · "Georgia Hemp Farming Act,"; delta-9-THC in consumable hemp products; provide milligram limits
Adoption Of Amendment #1 By The Senator From The 29th: Senate Vote #169 · 2025-03-06 · Passed 29–27
Democrats they vote with most
Share of contested roll calls (the losing side got at least 10%) where both voted and landed on the same side. Unanimous votes are left out, because on those everyone agrees.
Freddie SimsDemocrat · District 12 · 231 shared contested votes
29%
Emanuel JonesDemocrat · District 10 · 326 shared contested votes
28%
Ed HarbisonDemocrat · District 15 · 348 shared contested votes
26%
Their session, month by month
Dark bars are roll calls they were recorded on each month; the red part is the ones without a Yea or Nay (79 in all). Gaps are months the chamber wasn’t voting.
← Georgia Delegation
YeaYeaNayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNayYeaYeaNVYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNay
Their bills, from filing to law
Bills Billy Hickman was a primary sponsor of this session. Most bills from either party never leave committee; in Illinois many never get past the Assignments or Rules committee.
Introduced332
Out of committee282
Passed one chamber264
Passed both chambers229
Became law228
Never left committee50
For comparison, the median Republican member of the Senate has 186 bills that became law this session.
"Quality Basic Education Act"; the date by which a child must attain a certain age to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten or first grade; revise
In plain English Changes the age requirement for kindergarten and first grade enrollment and allows parents to enroll four- or five-year-olds in voluntary pre-kindergarten programs.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to revise the date by which…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-12
Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base; expand to include data from licensed health care professionals
In plain English Expands the Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base to include data from licensed health care professionals and renames it the Health Care Workforce Data Base.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 10 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce, so as to expand the Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base to include data from…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-12
Local Boards of Education; audit findings or findings by the state auditor of financial mismanagement or misconduct; provide for the suspension of members
In plain English Allows suspension of local school board members following audit findings of financial mismanagement or misconduct, and caps advance distributions of state funds to school districts.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, rebating to elementary and secondary education, so as to provide for the suspension of members of local boards of education following certain audit findings…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-05-12 · 2026-05-12
"Putting Georgia's Patients First Act"; enact
In plain English Renames low THC oil as medical cannabis and revises criminal penalties for controlled substance offenses.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend various provisions of the O.C.G.A., so as to rename low THC oil as medical cannabis; to amend Chapter 12 of Title 16, Article 2 of Chapter 13 of Title 16, and Article 1 of Chapter 2A…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-12
Education; the academic and disciplinary records of each transferring student shall be provided within five days; require
In plain English Requires schools to send a transferring student's academic and disciplinary records to the new school within five days, among other changes.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to require that the academic and disciplinary records of each transferring student shall be provided by…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-12
Bona Fide Conservation Use Property; a limitation on leased property; remove
In plain English Removes a limitation on leased property for certain entities receiving preferential tax assessment for conservation use.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 48-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to preferential assessment for bona fide conservation use property and bona fide residential transitional property, so as to remove a limitation on leased property as…
VetoedVeto V9 · 2026-05-12
Offenses Against Public Health and Morals; the establishment of an animal cruelty database; provide
In plain English Requires the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council to create and maintain a database of animal cruelty offenses.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding offenses against public health and morals, so as to provide for the establishment of an animal…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-11
"True Patriotism and Universal Student Access (TPUSA) Act"; enact
In plain English Requires public schools to allow students to form partisan and nonpartisan political groups and prohibits discrimination based on student political speech content.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Subpart 2A of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to clubs and organizations, so as to provide for equal access to public schools…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-11
City of Metter; ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes; provide a homestead exemption
In plain English Allows the City of Metter to exempt $4,000 of home value from city property taxes for residents age 65 or older with income under $10,000.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to provide a homestead exemption from City of Metter ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes in the amount of $4,000.00 of the assessed value of the homestead for residents of that city who are 65 years of age…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-05-11 · 2026-05-11
HOPE Scholarship; the inclusion of advanced placement and international baccalaureate fine arts courses in the calculation of grade point averages; provide
In plain English Includes advanced placement and international baccalaureate fine arts courses in grade point average calculations for HOPE scholarship eligibility.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-157 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to uniform reporting system for certain purposes, dual credit courses, and academic eligibility requirements to receive HOPE scholarship, so as to provide for the inclusion…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-11
City of Metter; ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes; provide a homestead exemption
In plain English Allows the City of Metter to exempt $2,000 of assessed homestead value from city property taxes for residents.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to provide a homestead exemption from City of Metter ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes in the amount of $2,000.00 of the assessed value of the homestead for residents of that city; to provide for definitions; to specify…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-05-11 · 2026-05-11
Sexual Offenses; clergy members to be charged with certain improper sexual contact offenses; permit
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 6 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to sexual offenses, so as to permit clergy members to be charged with certain improper sexual contact offenses; to provide for definitions; to…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-11
License Plates; specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia; establish
In plain English Establishes specialty license plates honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia and the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 40-2-86 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to license plates promoting or supporting certain agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations with proceeds disbursed to the general fund and the agency, fund, or nonprofit…
Became lawEffective Date 2027-01-01 · 2026-05-11
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
In plain English Allows social work master's degree students to take their licensing exam during their final semester instead of after graduation.
Official synopsis: 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…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-11
Offenses Against Public Order; the punishment for the offense of obstructing highways, streets, sidewalks, or other public passages; increase
In plain English Increases criminal penalties for obstructing highways, streets, sidewalks, or other public passages, with enhanced punishment in certain instances and civil liability for damages.
Official synopsis: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to offenses against public order, so as to increase the punishment for the offense of obstructing highways, streets, sidewalks, or…
Became lawEffective Date 2026-07-01 · 2026-05-11
“In plain English” lines are written by ThePolitibase with AI (Claude), from the official synopsis only; the synopsis is the authoritative text. Descriptions are the legislature’s own synopsis. Bill data from LegiScan, CC BY 4.0.
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HB1161 · 2026-04-03
Motor vehicles; proper operation upon approach by an authorized emergency vehicle or by a law enforcement vehicle for purposes of a traffic stop; provide (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Substitute: Senate Vote #982)
HB1247 · 2026-04-03
Georgia Bureaucratic Deference Elimination Act; enact (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Substitute: Senate Vote #983)
HB247 · 2026-04-03
Motor vehicles; restoration of licenses; authorize written consent for release of certain information to be obtained and transferred electronically (Motion To Print: Senate Vote #984)
HB297 · 2026-04-03
Ad valorem tax; define multipurpose off-highway vehicle; provisions (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Substitute: Senate Vote #985)
SB447 · 2026-04-03
Control of Soil Erosion and Sedimentation; denial or nonacceptance of permits; revise provisions (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #989)
SB430 · 2026-04-03
Taxes; certain military museums qualify as destination marketing organizations and private sector nonprofit organizations; provide (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #988)
HB295 · 2026-04-03
Local government; procedures for real property owners to make claims for compensation for loss of property value or expenses incurred; provisions (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Amendment: Senate Vote #987)
SB359 · 2026-04-03
Henry County; Board of Commissioners; code of ethics; revise and restate provisions (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #990)
SR624 · 2026-04-03
Officer Drew Haynes Brown Memorial Intersection; Cobb County; dedicate (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #986)
SB556 · 2026-04-02
HOPE Scholarship; the inclusion of advanced placement and international baccalaureate fine arts courses in the calculation of grade point averages; provide (Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #958)
SB556 · 2026-04-02
HOPE Scholarship; the inclusion of advanced placement and international baccalaureate fine arts courses in the calculation of grade point averages; provide (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #959)
SB261 · 2026-04-02
Magistrates Retirement Fund; early retirement benefit; provide (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #956)
HB334 · 2026-04-02
Sickle Cell Disease Protection Act; enact (Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #933)
HB447 · 2026-04-02
Crimes and offenses; crimes of gift card theft, gift card forgery, and gift card fraud; provide (Passage: Senate Vote #939)
SB23 · 2026-04-02
Retirement; total percentage of funds that the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia may invest in alternative investments; raise the limit (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #960)
HB1187 · 2026-04-02
Trey's Law; enact (Passage: Senate Vote #951)
HB328 · 2026-04-02
Revenue and taxation; increase annual aggregate limit for tax credits available for certain contributions to student scholarship organizations (Shall The Ruling Of The Chair Be Sustained: Senate Vote #972)
HB328 · 2026-04-02
Revenue and taxation; increase annual aggregate limit for tax credits available for certain contributions to student scholarship organizations (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Substitute: Senate Vote #973)
HB1599 · 2026-04-02
Sandersville School Building Authority; members; revise qualification (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB445 · 2026-04-02
Ad valorem tax; language required to be included in notices of current assessment; revise (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Substitute: Senate Vote #965)
SB8 · 2026-04-02
Courts; arrest warrant requirements when juvenile courts are acting as courts of inquiry; provide (Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #964)
HB1559 · 2026-04-02
Palmetto, City of; qualifications, terms, powers, and duties of mayor, councilmembers, and city manager; revise provisions (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB1602 · 2026-04-02
Gainesville, City of; school district ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB1565 · 2026-04-02
Lee County; school district ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
SB306 · 2026-04-02
Bona Fide Conservation Use Property; impending expiration to be sent via certified mail; require notices (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #963)
SB586 · 2026-04-02
"K-9 Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2026"; enact (Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #942)
HB1310 · 2026-04-02
State symbols; cotton as official state fabric; designate (Passage: Senate Vote #981)
HB1277 · 2026-04-02
Conservation and natural resources; increase project cost threshold for public roads or airports requiring environmental evaluations (Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #928)
HB1560 · 2026-04-02
Springfield, City of; Redevelopment Powers Law; provide for a referendum (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB1470 · 2026-04-02
Torts; abusive litigation based on alleged website access violations under federal and state law; create a cause of action (Passage: Senate Vote #978)
SB76 · 2026-04-02
License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #970)
HB999 · 2026-04-02
Magistrate courts; collecting sums and fees authorized by law; revise provisions (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Amendment: Senate Vote #957)
HB1582 · 2026-04-02
Fayette County; school district ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB1272 · 2026-04-02
Banking and finance; licensing of payment stablecoin issuers; provisions (Passage: Senate Vote #953)
SB143 · 2026-04-02
Georgia Firefighter's Pension Fund; certain members to retire at age 50; provide (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #941)
SB207 · 2026-04-02
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 (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Amendment To House Substitute: Senate Vote #946)
HB1598 · 2026-04-02
Laurens County; school district ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB1575 · 2026-04-02
Kingsland, City of; ad valorem tax; apply exemption to residents 62 years or older (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB463 · 2026-04-02
Ad valorem tax; certain senior citizens who volunteer with local governments; provide homestead exemption (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Substitute: Senate Vote #971)
HB1601 · 2026-04-02
Gainesville, City of; ad valorem tax for municipal purposes; provide homestead exemption (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB1409 · 2026-04-02
Domestic relations; revise mandated reporting of child abuse (Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #932)
HB1573 · 2026-04-02
Statham, City of; ad valorem tax for municipal purposes; provide homestead exemption (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB1569 · 2026-04-02
McDonough, City of; Municipal Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB1344 · 2026-04-02
Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #929)
HB1562 · 2026-04-02
Pike County; ad valorem tax; increase amount of homestead exemption for residents who are totally disabled (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
SB431 · 2026-04-02
Education; enrollment of foster care students within two school days of a request for enrollment by such student's parent or legal custodian; require (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #944)
HB52 · 2026-04-02
Ad valorem tax; qualified disabled veterans; extend homestead exemption to unremarried surviving spouses or minor children (Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #952)
HB1404 · 2026-04-02
Pooler, City of; levy an excise tax (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
HB141 · 2026-04-02
Revenue and taxation; allow businesses and practitioners to provide affidavits of certified public accountants in lieu of tax returns (Passage: Senate Vote #976)
HB1588 · 2026-04-02
Cobb County; salaries of chief deputy sheriff, assistant chief deputy sheriff, and executive assistant to the sheriff shall be determined by the sheriff; provide (Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927)
SB469 · 2026-04-02
Board of Commissioners of Forsyth County; term limits for members; provide (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #966)
HB309 · 2026-04-02
Local government; require adoption of a resolution or ordinance and voter approval prior to abolishment of a police force that was created by such method (Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #947)
SB623 · 2026-04-02
State Court of Clayton County; compensation of the solicitor-general of the state court; revise provisions (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #968)
HB974 · 2026-04-02
General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 (Adopt Conference Committee Report: Senate Vote #975)
HB1116 · 2026-04-02
Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026; enact (Agree To House Amendment To Senate Substitute: Senate Vote #974)
SB613 · 2026-04-02
Superior Court of Clayton County; change the compensation of the sheriff (Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #969)
HB1131 · 2026-04-02
Criminal procedure; personal service of process for notice of a warrant application hearing; provide (Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #948)
SB33 · 2026-04-02
"Georgia Hemp Farming Act"; total THC concentration of consumable hemp products; provide limits (Motion For The Previous Question: Senate Vote #979)
SB33 · 2026-04-02
"Georgia Hemp Farming Act"; total THC concentration of consumable hemp products; provide limits (Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #980)
HB295 · 2026-04-02
Local government; procedures for real property owners to make claims for compensation for loss of property value or expenses incurred; provisions (Motion To Table: Senate Vote #934)
Complete voting record from LegiScan (showing the 60 most recent of 1374 total roll-call votes this session).
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