Sarah Kallis, Orlando Montoya, GPB News

Dozens of new laws have gone into effect beginning Wednesday, July 1 in Georgia. Some of the laws include increased penalties for offenses like fentanyl trafficking, pimping and pandering, and blocking a highway during an unpermitted demonstration.

The cellphone ban in public schools up to eighth grade passed in 2025 will officially go into full effect, but many schools have already implemented the ban. Lawmakers passed a bill extending that ban through high school this year, but that bill doesn’t go into effect until December.

More medical conditions, like lupus, have been approved for the state’s medical THC program, and limits to the legal amount of THC in medical products have been changed. Instead of placing a flat 5% limit on medical THC products, patients can’t possess products with a cumulative total of 12,000 milligrams of THC.

A law aiming to protect the elderly from exploitation will allow banks to delay suspicious transactions or place holds on accounts when financial exploitation is suspected.

Animal shelters will be able to screen potential pet adopters thanks to a new publicly searchable animal cruelty database.

Another law promises sweeping changes to how homeowners and homeowners associations resolve their disputes.

Among other provisions, the bill sets up a hearing process for HOA conflicts overseen by the secretary of state’s office.

Atlanta attorney Janet Bozeman specializes in HOA law. She says the new regulations will increase costs.

“Instead of helping the parties work it out, you’ve probably created a process by which more disputes will go to court,” she said.

The bill was aimed at what its sponsor called “rogue” HOAs. But Bozeman worries its regulations will burden smaller associations, the vast majority of which, she said, are “trying very hard to work with people” who don’t understand HOA rules.

This story comes to Bryan County News through a reporting partnership with GPB News, a non-profit newsroom covering the state of Georgia.