Georgia Prisoners’ Speak
Model Legislation | March 2026
Model Legislation
The Georgia Post-Conviction Justice Act
Three Bills. One Reform Package.
GPS has drafted a complete legislative package — actual bill text in Georgia General Assembly format — ready for sponsors to file in the 2027 session. Each bill stands alone, but together they form the Georgia Post-Conviction Justice Act: the most comprehensive post-conviction reform package in Georgia history.
These are model bills prepared for legislative sponsors. When filed, the Georgia Office of Legislative Counsel will assign LC numbers and format each bill according to their internal conventions.
The Three Bills
the Sleeping Giants Act: Sleeping Giants Act →
Restoring Existing Law | No New Rights | No Appropriations
Restores existing statutes to their plain meaning and corrects court-created procedural rules — at the express invitation of the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. Defines “miscarriage of justice,” restores the void judgment statute, and moves IAC claims to habeas proceedings.
| Part I | Restores miscarriage of justice exception (§ 9-14-48) |
| Part II | Restores void judgment statute (§ 17-9-4) |
| Part III | IAC reform — ends waiver trap, right to counsel (§ 9-14-42.1) |
| Part IV | H.B. 176 coordination, severability, effective date |
the Innocence Deadline Repeal Act: Innocence Deadline Repeal Act →
Correcting Ourselves | No New Rights | No Appropriations
Repeals the four-year habeas corpus deadline the legislature imposed in 2004 — the first time limitation on habeas corpus in Georgia’s 200+ year history. Restores the 830-year tradition of habeas corpus without a time bar.
| Part I | Repeals habeas deadline, refiling window, tolling, gap coverage |
| Part II | Coordination, severability, effective date |
the Conviction Integrity Act: Conviction Integrity Act →
Building What Georgia Has Never Had | New Institutions
Builds the institutional infrastructure Georgia has never had to protect the innocent. Creates the right to post-conviction counsel, case file access, meaningful law library standards, a statewide Conviction Integrity Commission, plea bargain reform, and an Independent Prosecutor Review Board.
| Part I | Right to post-conviction legal access |
| Part II | Georgia Conviction Integrity Commission |
| Part III | Plea bargain reform |
| Part IV | Prosecutor accountability |
| Part V | Definitions, severability, effective dates |
How the Bills Work Together
the Sleeping Giants Act restores existing law. It corrects court decisions that narrowed statutes beyond legislative intent — at the express invitation of Chief Justice Peterson. No new rights. No new institutions. No appropriations.
the Innocence Deadline Repeal Act corrects the legislature’s own mistake. It repeals the 2004 habeas deadline that broke 830 years of habeas corpus tradition. The framing is “correcting ourselves” — and the precedent of H.B. 176 (passed 168-0 in the House, 51-0 in the Senate) shows self-correction is both possible and bipartisan.
the Conviction Integrity Act builds what Georgia has never had. Bills A and B reopen doors. The Conviction Integrity Act ensures people can walk through them — with appointed counsel, case file access, conviction integrity infrastructure, plea reform, and prosecutor accountability.
Critical Design Feature
Each bill stands alone. If the Innocence Deadline Repeal Act fails, the Sleeping Giants Act still ensures the habeas deadline cannot bar relief where a miscarriage of justice is demonstrated. If the Sleeping Giants Act fails, the Innocence Deadline Repeal Act still removes the time barrier for all claims. If both fail, the Conviction Integrity Act’s infrastructure provisions still improve the system. But together, they form the most comprehensive post-conviction reform package in Georgia history.
Total appropriations required: Bills A and B require none. The Conviction Integrity Act requires funding for the Conviction Integrity Commission (~$1.5–2.0M annually) and the Prosecutor Review Board, but legal access, plea reform, and prosecutor disclosure duties take effect immediately without appropriation.
For Legislative Sponsors
These model bills are ready for sponsors to file. GPS invites legislators, attorneys, and allied organizations to review, improve, and co-own this legislation. Organizations that contribute become co-sponsors of the final package.
For questions, feedback, or to discuss sponsorship: info@gps.press
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak | gps.press | info@gps.press