The Georgia Legislature advanced several bills Thursday on medical cannabis, criminal records, healthcare workforce recovery, and tax policy with about three weeks left in the 2026 session.

Senate Bill 220, which would expand Georgia’s medical cannabis program, passed the House 138 to 21. The bill would rename the state’s low-THC oil program as medical cannabis, add inhalation methods, and expand the list of qualifying conditions to include lupus. The measure would keep the ban on smoking raw cannabis flower and would prohibit public use of medical cannabis products.

Georgia created its low-THC oil program in 2015. More than 25,000 patients are registered in the program. The bill now returns to the Senate for review of House changes before it can go to Gov. Brian Kemp.

House Bill 162 passed the Senate unanimously. The measure would allow first-time offenders convicted of certain nonviolent crimes to seek record sealing during probation instead of waiting until probation ends. The bill would apply only to eligible nonviolent offenses and would still require compliance with court-ordered conditions.

House Bill 219 passed the Senate 46 to 1. The legislation would expand Georgia’s recovery program for impaired healthcare professionals to include nurses, social workers, and marriage and family therapists. The program already covers physicians and pharmacists and is intended to allow treatment and monitoring while helping participants remain in the workforce.

House Bill 1199 drew the sharpest disagreement of the day. The Senate passed the measure 31 to 18 after Republicans amended it to reduce Georgia’s match for federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from 100% to 50%. Supporters said the change could reduce state costs. Opponents said it could disrupt affordable housing development.

The House also adopted two resolutions unanimously. One urges state agencies to work together on hearing and vision screenings for schoolchildren. The other designates the last Wednesday of October as Fentanyl and Opioid Awareness Day.

Lawmakers return Monday for Day 32 of the session. Additional votes are expected in the coming weeks.

Source: ‘Lawmakers’ Day 31: House updates GA medical cannabis program; Senate OKs tax law adjustment | GPB