Sine Die 2024: What's next for controversial bills passed by Georgia General Assembly

ATLANTA - With the close of the 2024 legislative session, Georgia lawmakers are now turning their attention to the May State Primary. 

The ACLU of Georgia is laser-focused on an election bill the General Assembly passed late Thursday. The ACLU is threatening to file a lawsuit if Gov. Brian Kemp signed SB189 into law. 

Executive Director Andrea Young said the legislation violates the National Voter Registration Act.

"The majority in the Georgia General Assembly persists in passing laws that will undermine our democracy," Young told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes.  "This is a recipe for election chaos, and we strongly urge the governor to veto it." 

The bill would make it easier for people to file mass voter challenges, requires all advance and absentee ballots to be counted within an hour of polls closing, and removes Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger from the State Election Board.

The legislation also requires the homeless to use a county registrar's office as a mailing address to register to vote, and changes ballot design.

"There's no evidence that unqualified people are voting in our elections," Young said.

After gaining momentum, efforts to legalize sports betting failed again this session.

Two controversial transgender bills passed by the senate that would have barred biological males from participating in girls sports, and prohibited medical providers from prescribing puberty blockers to minors, failed to pass before Sine Die.

Civil rights groups are expressing outrage over the passage of an immigration bill that would penalize sheriffs and jailers who don't cooperate with federal immigration officials.

"If sheriffs don't comply with immigration detainers, do not act as if they are immigration officers, they could be criminalized or defunded," Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund spokesperson Isabel Otero told reporters.

A spokesperson for the governor's office responded to our request for comment saying, "Once the General Assembly adjourns Governor Kemp has 40 days to act on legislation.  During that time, all bills that reached final passage undergo a thorough review process.  We will provide an update following action being taken."