Georgia House bill by author Rep. Hong on arrest warrant notice procedures passes House and Senate

Newly passed bill authored by State Rep. Soo Hong aims to clarify and strengthen personal service and notification requirements for arrest warrant hearings, following approval in both chambers, according to the Georgia State House.

It passed both chambers as of Thursday, April 2, clearing the House by a vote of 166-0 and the Senate by a vote of 47-2.

The bill, introduced as HB1131 on Monday, Feb. 2 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, was formally described as: ’Criminal procedure; personal service of process for notice of a warrant application hearing; provide’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends Georgia’s arrest warrant procedures to emphasize personal service of notice to the person whose arrest is sought. It requires that a warrant application hearing be held only after attempting to notify the person by personal service or by another method approved by a judge or officer that is reasonably calculated to inform them of the hearing’s date, time and location, except where otherwise provided in existing law. The bill also clarifies that the intent of the affidavit and warrant requirements is to ensure the accused is personally served with the specific charge and all basic pertinent details.

In the House, 71 Democrats and 95 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, with no opposition.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 15 Democrats and 32 Republicans voted in favor, while two Democrats voted against it.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves (Republican-99th), Rep. Steven Sainz (Republican-180th), and Rep. Mitchell Scoggins (Republican-14th), along with two other co-sponsors.

Hong graduated from Georgia Institute of Technolog in 2003 with a BS and again in 2008 from Mercer University with a JD.

Hong, a Republican, was elected to the Georgia State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 103rd House District, replacing previous state representative Timothy Barr.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday, May 11.

In Georgia, the legislative process begins when a lawmaker, often at a constituent’s request, works with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. After filing with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, the bill receives its first reading and is sent to a committee, where most of the debate and fact-finding takes place. If approved, it advances to the floor for a third reading, debate, and a vote. To become law, the bill must pass both chambers, sometimes through a conference committee if versions differ, before being sent to the governor. The governor then has six days during session—or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die)—to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. The Georgia General Assembly meets annually for a 40-day session beginning the second Monday in January.

Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia State House. The source data can be found here.