SB 144 - Plant Disease, Pest Control, and Pesticides

The Act limits manufacturer liability for the use of fertilizers, plant growth regulators, or pesticides. Under the Act, and with limited exceptions, a manufacturer cannot be held liable for the failure to warn users of the health risks associated with those fertilizers and pesticides above those already required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency

A Broken Record: A Statutory Solution to Fixing Music Copyright Infringement’s Biggest Problem

In the intellectual property space, nothing quite grabs the eye of the public like music copyright infringement. The high reputational and monetary risks associated when an artist claims infringement— especially against that of a major artist—can have huge consequences, even when no infringement occurred. The two prevailing tests for copyright infringement recognize that the hearing court can determine there is not an appropriate level of substantial similarity between two copyrightable works, however this determination relies on specialized musical knowledge, something that the typical trial judge does not possess. This Note examines the inefficiencies in our current scheme of music copyright infringement litigation and suggests a statutory change requiring a board of musicologists to determine whether there are any extrinsic similarities prior to the filing of a complaint. Such a change would prevent frivolous litigation, create more certainty as to what could constitute an infringement, and further the goals of copyright law

SB 69 - Litigation Financing Practices

The Act primarily functions to regulate “third-party litigation financing” (TPLF). Also known as the Georgia Courts Access and Consumer Protection Act, the Act mandates that all litigation financiers operating within Georgia register with the Department of Banking and Finance and disclose ownership details, including any foreign affiliations. In addition, the Act bars financiers from directing litigation strategies, selecting legal representation, offering attorneys commission, or influencing decisions related to expert witnesses and settlements

HB 268 - Elementary and Secondary Education

The Act, prompted by the September 4, 2024, Apalachee High School shooting, establishes sweeping safety, health, and wellness reforms for Georgia schools. The Act (1) requires every public school to install an Alyssa’s Alert mobile panic-alarm system integrated with 911 and first responders by July 1, 2026; (2) mandates secure Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) standardized digital campus maps for emergency use; (3) authorizes GEMA to launch a statewide threat-reporting alert network and obliges schools to adopt formal threat assessment plans; (4) orders immediate transfer of disciplinary and behavioral records when students change districts; (5) funds “qualified student advocacy specialists” to support at-risk students; (6) mandates annual suicide awareness and youth violence prevention training for grades six through twelve; (7) requires high need schools to implement positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) programs; and (8) strengthens security laws by creating the crimes of terroristic threat or act against a school and requiring suspension plus counseling for students making credible threats. The Act also updates the Parents’ Bill of Rights to protect parental record access and demands interagency agreements to ensure secure information sharing among schools, law enforcement, and other agencies

Agriculture - Rights of Aliens; Rights as to Realty

The Act restricts nonresident aliens from acquiring certain land interests. It forbids such nonresident aliens from acquiring possessory interests in agricultural land within ten miles of military bases, installations, and airports. Nonresident aliens include natural persons who are not United States citizens or legal residents, are agents of foreign adversaries designated in 15 C.F.R. § 7.4 (currently China (including Hong Kong), Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and the Venezuelan Maduro Regime), and who satisfy one of two time-related presence thresholds. Further, nonresident aliens include corporations domiciled in or owned (by at least 25% ownership) by entities domiciled in the same adversarial nations, as well as the government of said nations. The Act includes several exceptions, such as for ownership of residential property, ownership for purposes of indebtedness, and leaseholds for research and experimental purposes. The Act also creates provisions allowing for Transfer-on-Death Deeds