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Georgia · 2025-2026 Regular Session · Bill

HB 554: APEX Now Program; enact

Introduced Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

HB 554 is a bill introduced in the Georgia House on February 20, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: APEX Now Program; enact. Primary sponsor: Rick Townsend (Republican), Todd Jones (Republican), Chris Erwin (Republican), Bethany Ballard (Republican), Lydia Glaize (Democratic), Holt Persinger (Republican). Most recent recorded action (February 24, 2025): House Second Readers.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the O.C.G.A., relating to health of students, so as to enact the "APEX Now Program"; to provide support for mental health services to students and school personnel experiencing incidents of violence, threats of violence, natural disasters, and other crisis situations; to provide for such program to be established within the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities; to provide for the development and promulgation of a mental health crisis plan; to provide for a 24 hour online and telephonic hotline; to provide for prospective parental consent; to provide for contracting for services; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1 · Republican 5

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Rick TownsendPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse179
Todd JonesPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse25
Chris ErwinPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse32
Bethany BallardPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse147
Lydia GlaizePrimary sponsorDemocraticHouse67
Holt PersingerPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse119

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. House Second Readers
  2. House First Readers
  3. House Hopper

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source