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Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick Celebrates Signing of Consumer Protection Measure to Return Unclaimed Funds to Georgians

ATLANTA (May 8, 2026) — Senator Kay Kirkpatrick (R–Marietta) today announced that Senate Bill 403, legislation she sponsored to make it easier for Georgians to recover unclaimed funds held by the state, was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp. Gov. Kemp signed the measure into law on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at the State Capitol.

“SB 403 is a great step for helping Georgians find and retrieve unclaimed property held by the state,” said Sen. Kirkpatrick (R–Marietta). “This is a consumer protection bill, and I am thankful that the bill has now been signed.”

“I am proud that Governor Kemp signed SB 403 into law to make the process more efficient and less burdensome for Georgians to recover their owed funds, such as old utility deposits and other amounts owed to them,” said Representative Matt Reeves (R–Duluth). “SB 403 will also make it easier for families to claim money that belonged to a deceased relative by bypassing the probate court process in some cases. This new law is a win for all Georgians, making it easier than ever to search for and claim unclaimed funds. I urge residents to visit the Georgia Department of Revenue’s website to learn more and search for owed money.”

SB 403 updates Georgia law governing the disposition of unclaimed property by clarifying that property will not be considered abandoned if the apparent owner has demonstrated interest in the account, including by making changes to or directing activity within it. The legislation also streamlines the claims process for heirs of a deceased owner by eliminating the requirement for a probate court order in certain cases. Instead, heirs may submit an affidavit signed by all heirs, provided the total value of the unclaimed property held by the department does not exceed $7,500.

The legislation is intended to reduce unnecessary barriers for Georgians attempting to recover funds owed to them while modernizing portions of the state’s unclaimed property process. The full text of SB 403 may be found here.

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Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick serves as Chairwoman of the Children and Families Committee and Secretary of the Senate Majority Caucus. She represents the 32nd Senate District, which includes portions of Cobb and Cherokee counties. She may be reached by phone at 404.656.3932 or by email at Kay.Kirkpatrick@senate.ga.gov.

Representative Matt Reeves represents the citizens of District 99 which includes a portion of Gwinnett County. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and as Secretary of the Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations, Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Insurance committees.

For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

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Senate Study Committee on Additional Services and Resources for Transition Age Youth in Foster Care Adopts Final Report

ATLANTA (November 24, 2025)— The Senate Study Committee on Additional Services and Resources for Transition Age Youth in Foster Care, chaired by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R–Marietta), has adopted its final report, outlining targeted recommendations to strengthen outcomes for Georgia youth preparing to transition from foster care into adulthood.

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Senate Study Committee on Additional Services and Resources for Transition Age Youth to Hold Fourth Meeting

ATLANTA (November 12, 2025) — On Monday, November 17, at 10:00 a.m., the Senate Study Committee on Additional Services and Resources for Transition Age Youth, chaired by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R–Marietta), will hold its fourth meeting.

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COLUMN: Kirkpatrick: Georgia Expands Access to Personalized Testing Coverage

By: Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R–Marietta)

In May 2023, Governor Kemp signed into law House Bill 85.  As the Senate carrier of this bipartisan legislation, I am proud that this law now requires health insurers in Georgia to cover biomarker testing. 

Biomarker testing is an innovative technique that examines patients’ underlying biology to better understand and diagnose a disease, often prior to the onset of the most severe symptoms. These tests can help monitor disease progression or assist in identifying a person’s response to a specific treatment.

Biomarker testing is not new. Millions of people with cancer have already benefitted from these tests, and their use is expanding beyond oncology. The FDA recently approved a biomarker blood test for Alzheimer’s disease, a breakthrough in the early identification of this progressive neurological disease.

Despite this law being in effect for more than two years, I often find that Georgians who stand to benefit most from this coverage are simply unaware of biomarker testing, its benefits, or the state law that provides coverage for this powerful tool in treating long-term diseases.

This is why it is so important for all Georgians, including clinicians, community leaders, and caregivers of those living with degenerative diseases, to spread the word.  Everyone needs to understand that biomarker testing is now a covered benefit under health plans across the state of Georgia.

Ensuring that awareness is high and coverage is consistent is vital in implementing the goals of the legislation. We cannot rest on our laurels. We must familiarize ourselves and others with this life-changing—and often lifesaving—tool.

I am proud to serve my constituents in the Georgia State Senate as Vice Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. I am equally proud to care for and protect my patients. Each of these experiences guide my policymaking as I work to enact legislation that increases health care access and improves choices for Georgians.

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Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick serves as Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Children and Families. She represents the 32nd Senate District, which includes portions of Cherokee and Cobb counties. She may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0508 or by email at Kay.Kirkpatrick@senate.ga.gov.

For all media inquiries, please contact SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.