Georgia House Advances Bill to Study Raising Juvenile Court Age

Legislation stops short of preventing 17-year-olds from being tried as adults

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Georgia House passed a bill to create a special committee to study raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 17-year-olds, but stopped short of taking action to prevent 17-year-olds from being tried as adults. The bill was named after the late state Rep. Mandi Ballinger, who had led a years-long effort to change this policy.

Why it matters

Georgia is one of only five states that prosecute 17-year-olds as adults, a practice that research shows can have negative effects on young offenders. Advocates argue that treating minors as adults puts them at risk of physical and sexual abuse and fails to address the underlying factors that led to their crimes.

The details

House Bill 1061, originally written to shift 17-year-olds away from the adult criminal justice system to juvenile courts, was condensed from a 23-page bill into a 3-page measure that creates an 'organizational committee' tasked with studying how Georgia could make the transition. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Beth Camp, said the new version focuses on figuring out if the changes are possible and how much they would cost.

  • The Georgia House passed the bill on Friday, February 23, 2026.

The players

Beth Camp

The Republican state representative who sponsored the bill and chairs the House Juvenile Justice Committee.

Mandi Ballinger

The late state representative who had led a years-long effort to change the policy of prosecuting 17-year-olds as adults.

Joshua Rovner

A senior research analyst at The Sentencing Project, a national criminal justice research and advocacy organization.

Mike Mitchell

The deputy director of the Georgia Sheriffs' Association, who said the association remains opposed to the idea of raising the age for juvenile court jurisdiction.

Peter Skandalakis

The executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia, who spoke in support of a study committee and said the majority of district attorneys back diverting 17-year-olds from the adult criminal justice system.

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What they’re saying

“The idea that it needs to be studied more – perhaps members of the Legislature can just watch what Mandi Ballinger did for years. They don't need to study this more. They need to listen to what the experts have already told them.”

— Joshua Rovner, Senior research analyst (The Sentencing Project)

“Many times people do not think or feel bills go far enough, but I fully believe that this is a bold step in the right direction with a very good chance the governor will sign.”

— Beth Camp, State representative (Georgia Recorder)

“We do have concerns. The sheriffs do remain opposed to the idea of raising the age here in the state of Georgia. I don't think that's going to change.”

— Mike Mitchell, Deputy director (Georgia Sheriffs' Association)

“That's the best way to get down to the issues that need to be discussed and hammered out by people who deal with this situation every day.”

— Peter Skandalakis, Executive director (Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.