State on WACN 21 News

From HOA Transparency to Faster Robots: 120-Plus New Georgia Laws Take Effect July 1

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400

When the calendar turns to July 1, Georgians will wake up to a substantially reshaped legal landscape. More than 120 bills signed into law during the 2026 legislative session take effect that day, touching everything from homeowner association governance to how fast a sidewalk robot can deliver your lunch.

Here is a breakdown of the most consequential changes.

Property Owners Get a Bill of Rights

Senate Bill 406, the Property Owners’ Bill of Rights, is one of the session’s headline measures. The law imposes new transparency and accountability requirements on homeowner and property owner associations statewide. Its attorney’s fees provisions take effect July 1, with the majority of the act’s requirements kicking in on January 1, 2027.

Georgia Voters Will Decide Three Constitutional Amendments This November

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

When Georgia voters head to the polls this November, they will find more than candidate names waiting for them. Three proposed constitutional amendments — referred by the General Assembly during a legislative session that wrapped up on April 2 — will appear on the ballot, asking Georgians to weigh in on questions that could reshape elements of state governance for years to come.

The proposed amendments span a range of policy areas and represent the culmination of months of committee work, floor debate, and bipartisan negotiation under the Gold Dome.

Carter Center Marks 30 Years of Mental Health Advocacy at Annual Atlanta Forum

Tue, 19 May 2026 17:00:00 -0400

Editorial Note: This article contains inaccuracies regarding former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s history of mental health advocacy, ignoring her foundational work during the 1970s and 1980s. It is currently under review by our editorial team.

For three decades, one Atlanta institution has kept mental health at the center of the national policy conversation. This May, the Carter Center gathered clinicians, lawmakers, advocates and patients for its 30th annual Mental Health Forum — a milestone that underscored both how far the movement has come and how much work remains.

Georgia Expands Safe Haven Law, Giving Parents More Options to Safely Surrender Newborns

Fri, 08 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Georgia has significantly broadened the options available to parents who need to safely surrender a newborn, part of a sweeping child welfare agenda that defined the 2026 legislative session.

House Bill 350, signed into law this spring, expands the state’s Safe Haven law to include ambulances, public safety vehicles, and approved safety devices as locations where a newborn can be surrendered without fear of criminal prosecution. Previously, the law limited safe surrender to hospitals and fire stations only.