House Study Committee on Affordability and Accessibility of Georgia’s Legitimation Process Adopts Final Report

ATLANTA - State Representative Carter Barrett (R-Cumming), chairman of the House Study Committee on Affordability & Accessibility of Georgia's Legitimation Process, and the study committee's Vice Chair Teddy Reese (D-Columbus) today announced that the study committee recently adopted its final report with its legislative recommendations for the 2026 session. This study committee was tasked with examining whether the legitimation process in Georgia may be improved in a way that yields it more affordable and accessible, particularly for biological fathers with limited financial resources.

"The House Study Committee on Affordability and Accessibility of Georgia's Legitimation Process held three public meetings across the state - conducting meetings in Atlanta, Columbus and Augusta," said Rep. Barrett. "Over the course of these meetings, we had the opportunity to hear from families and advocates on how the legitimation process has affected them and discussed ways in which we can improve the system, while protecting Georgia's children and families. Our goal was to develop practical recommendations that remove unnecessary barriers, strengthen parental responsibility and better support Georgia's children, and I believe we achieved this. When we return to the Georgia Capitol in January, we will turn these recommendations into legislation for consideration by the House and Senate."

"I was proud to bring forward the resolution that created this study committee and to serve as vice chairman as we reviewed this important issue of parental rights over the last several months," said Rep. Reese. "Ensuring that children can build meaningful relationships with both parents requires a legal process that is fair, accessible and affordable. The study committee received invaluable testimony that will continue to guide our legislative work in the next legislative session. I think we can make positive legislative improvements to make this process more equitable and reasonable for Georgia families."

The study committee's final recommendations are as follows:

1. Legislate greater efficiencies in the legitimation process under Article 2 of Chapter 7 of Title 19 of the O.C.G.A. for uncontested legitimation petitions filed with Georgia's courts;
2. Consider incentivizing, or possibly mandating, mediation in legitimation cases;
3. Encourage Georgia judicial circuits to establish legitimation stations to better assist fathers filing legitimation petitions;
4. Require the publishing of standardized Georgia legitimation forms on court websites, as well as the availability of forms at Georgia courthouses;
5. Consider continued appropriations for senior judge duties to help relieve backlog of court cases, including legitimation petitions.

To view the full final report, please click here.

The House Study Committee on the Affordability and Accessibility of Georgia's Legitimation Process was created by the passage of House Resolution 753 during the 2025 legislative session.

For more information on the House Study Committee on Affordability & Accessibility of Georgia's Legitimation Process, please click here.

Representative Carter Barrett represents the citizens of District 24, which includes a portion of Forsyth County. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Higher Education Committee and as Secretary of the Banks & Banking and Code Revision committees. He also serves on the Ways and Means and Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education.

Representative Tremaine Teddy Reese represents the citizens of District 140, which includes a portion of Muscogee County. He first was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves on the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Economic Development & Tourism and Public & Community Health committees, as well as the Special Committee on Resource Management.

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