# Carl Gilliard (GA House D-162) — Legislator Fact Sheet · The GA Files > Carl Gilliard (D, House District 162 — Savannah), minister, anti-hunger leader, and Black Caucus chair: his votes (and absences), his community work, and who funds him — a state-level legislator fact sheet. *Source: https://thegafiles.com/CarlGilliard.html · The GA Files (thegafiles.com)* --- State Level Legislator Fact Sheet · Georgia House of Representatives · District 162 # Carl Gilliard Party Democrat In Office 2017 – present House Role Chair, GA Legislative Black Caucus Scope of This Review 2019 – 2026 Carl Gilliard, an ordained minister from the Savannah area, has represented House District 162 since 2017 and **chairs the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus**. Off the floor he runs **Feed the Hungry**, a food-distribution ministry, and in 2021 he co-sponsored the repeal of Georgia's citizen's-arrest law after the killing of Brunswick's Ahmaud Arbery. On the floor he votes a Democratic line — when he is present. 7 NAY · 3 absentGilliard voted **NO on the seven Republican priorities** he was present for, and was **excused (absent) on three other votes** — including the bipartisan Right to IVF and medical-cannabis bills. A Democratic opposition record marked by several absences. **Methodology.** Each vote is Rep. Gilliard's actual position from the official Georgia roll call (legis.ga.gov), transcribed into a verified vote database and cross-checked against the published Yea/Nay totals. The chamber tally and final status (became law / died in House) are noted per bill. 01 ## Riley Gaines Act SB 1 · 2025 Session NAY Floor Vote House vote (Passage), 2025 session — 100–64 Status Became law (2025 session) Rep. Gilliard's Vote Voted **NAY** — against the chamber majority, on a party-line vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Bars transgender women and girls from competing on female school and college sports teams and requires K–12 and college sports, locker rooms, and restrooms to be designated by sex assigned at birth. Supporters framed it as protecting fairness and safety in women's sports; opponents — including LGBTQ advocates and some parents — said it stigmatizes transgender students and invites invasive enforcement. #### Sources - [LegiScan — SB 1 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB1/2025) 02 ## Tort Reform SB 68 · 2025 Session NAY Floor Vote House vote (Immediately Transmit), 2025 session — 94–77 Status Became law — Gov. Kemp's signature 2025 priority Rep. Gilliard's Vote Voted **NAY** — against the chamber majority, on a party-line vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Overhauled Georgia's civil-litigation rules — limiting when businesses and property owners can be sued (notably for negligent-security claims), changing how juries are told about medical damages, and allowing trials to be split into liability and damages phases. Backers said it would lower insurance costs and curb runaway verdicts; trial lawyers and consumer advocates warned it makes it harder for injured Georgians to recover full damages. #### Sources - [LegiScan — SB 68 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB68/2025) 03 ## Religious Freedom Restoration Act SB 36 · 2025 Session EXCUSED Floor Vote House vote (Passage), 2025 session — 96–70 Status Became law (2025 session) Rep. Gilliard's Vote Excused — did not vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Georgia's Religious Freedom Restoration Act bars state and local government from “substantially burdening” a person's exercise of religion without a compelling interest. Supporters called it a long-sought protection mirroring the 1993 federal law; opponents — including civil-rights groups and some businesses — warned it could be used to justify discrimination, particularly against LGBTQ Georgians, since the state has no statewide anti-discrimination law. #### Sources - [LegiScan — SB 36 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB36/2025) 04 ## Gender-Affirming Care Ban (Minors) SB 140 · 2023 Session NAY Floor Vote House vote (Immediately Transmit), 2023 session — 97–74 Status Became law (2023 session) Rep. Gilliard's Vote Voted **NAY** — against the chamber majority, on a party-line vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Prohibits hormone therapy and surgical gender-affirming care for transgender minors in Georgia, with limited exceptions. Supporters said it shields children from irreversible decisions; major medical associations and families of transgender youth opposed it, arguing it overrides parents and doctors and strips away evidence-based care. #### Sources - [LegiScan — SB 140 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB140/2023) 05 ## Heartbeat Bill (Abortion Ban) HB 481 · 2019 Session NAY Floor Vote House vote (Agree to Senate Substitute), 2019 session — 92–78 Status Became law (2019); took effect in 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade Rep. Gilliard's Vote Voted **NAY** — against the chamber majority, on a party-line vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Bans most abortions once embryonic cardiac activity is detected — around six weeks, before many people know they are pregnant — with narrow exceptions. Blocked by courts for years, it took effect in 2022 after _Dobbs_. It sharply curtailed abortion access in Georgia and has reshaped how doctors manage pregnancy complications across the region. #### Sources - [LegiScan — HB 481 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB481/2019) 06 ## Right to IVF HB 428 · 2025 Session EXCUSED Floor Vote House vote (Passage), 2025 session — 172–0 Status Became law (2025 session) Rep. Gilliard's Vote Excused — did not vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Establishes a state right to access in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and protects providers — one of the rare bipartisan votes in this set. It followed national alarm after an Alabama court ruling threatened IVF, and aimed to reassure Georgia families pursuing fertility treatment that the procedure would remain legal and available. #### Sources - [LegiScan — HB 428 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB428/2025) 07 ## State Income Tax Cut HB 111 · 2025 Session NAY Floor Vote House vote (Passage), 2025 session — 110–60 Status Became law (2025 session) Rep. Gilliard's Vote Voted **NAY** — against the chamber majority, on a party-line vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Accelerated Georgia's move to a lower flat income tax, cutting the rate ahead of schedule (to 5.19%). Supporters said it returns surplus money to taxpayers; critics cautioned that flat-rate cuts deliver the largest dollar benefits to higher earners and reduce the revenue available for schools, health care, and public services. #### Sources - [LegiScan — HB 111 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB111/2025) 08 ## Property Tax Relief (LHOST) SB 33 · 2026 Session NAY Floor Vote House vote (Agree to Senate Amend to House Sub), 2026 session — 97–72 Status Became law (2026 session) Rep. Gilliard's Vote Voted **NAY** — against the chamber majority, on a party-line vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Authorizes a local-option homestead sales tax and related homestead relief, letting communities offset rising property-tax bills driven by climbing home values. Supporters framed it as relief for homeowners squeezed by reassessments; critics noted sales taxes are regressive and that any relief depends on each community choosing to adopt it. #### Sources - [LegiScan — SB 33 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB33/2026) 09 ## Homelessness Enforcement HB 295 · 2026 Session NAY Floor Vote House vote (Agree to Senate Amend as HAm), 2026 session — 93–76 Status Became law (2026 session) Rep. Gilliard's Vote Voted **NAY** — against the chamber majority, on a party-line vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Restricts unsanctioned public camping and sleeping and presses local governments toward enforcement and state-directed approaches to homelessness. Supporters said it keeps public spaces safe and orderly; homeless-services advocates warned it criminalizes poverty and can push people away from services without adding any housing. #### Sources - [LegiScan — HB 295 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB295/2026) 10 ## Medical Cannabis Expansion SB 220 · 2026 Session EXCUSED Floor Vote House vote (Agree to Senate Amend to House Sub), 2026 session — 144–21 Status Became law (2026 session) Rep. Gilliard's Vote Excused — did not vote. ### Impact on Everyday Georgians Expands Georgia's low-THC medical cannabis program — broadening the qualifying conditions and access for registered patients — and passed with bipartisan support. It widened eligibility for Georgians managing chronic and serious illnesses under the state's tightly regulated program. #### Sources - [LegiScan — SB 220 bill text, history & roll calls](https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB220/2026) Constituent Access ## Town Halls Community engagement · Savannah · since 2017 Gilliard's constituent engagement runs heavily through his ministry and anti-hunger work rather than formal town halls: he leads Feed the Hungry food distributions and an Empowerment Center in Garden City that helps people with housing and credit, and he chairs the Legislative Black Caucus. ## Documented Record - **Feed the Hungry & the Empowerment Center.** Gilliard, a pastor, runs a food-distribution ministry and a Garden City program that helps people with housing and credit — his most visible, recurring form of constituent contact. - **Legislative Black Caucus chair.** He leads the Black Caucus and is active on hunger, criminal-justice, and civil-rights issues statewide. State legislators' constituent-event records are thin and locally reported; this section documents his community engagement and will be expanded as formal events are documented. Corrections are welcome via the contact link below. ## Sources - [State Affairs — Gilliard on politics, pastoring & activism](https://stateaffairs.com/georgia/qa/carl-gilliard-georgia-legislative-black-caucus/) - [Carl Gilliard — Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Carl_Gilliard) Campaign Finance ## Campaign Finance Who's funding Rep. Gilliard · recent cycles Pinned — Business Money & an Ethics Fine Industry PACs + a penalty For a progressive minister, Gilliard’s donor list runs heavily to **business and industry PACs** — realtors, orthopaedic surgeons, general contractors, insurance agents, and the port operator Gateway Terminals. Separately, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported that Gilliard was **fined over the misuse of campaign funds** — a notable mark for any legislator. (See sources.) ## Top Contributors Gilliard's largest reported contributors from the Georgia Ethics Commission (PeachFile) (excluding his own self-funding). | # | Contributor | Total | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Gilliard, Carl W. (Savannah, GA) | $30,000.00 | | 2 | Competitive Georgia Action Inc. (Griffin, GA) | $3,300.00 | | 3 | Georgia Association of Realtors (Atlanta, GA) | $2,000.00 | | 4 | Georgia Orthopaedic Society (Peachtree City, GA) | $2,000.00 | | 5 | Gateway Terminals LLC (Savannah, GA) | $2,000.00 | | 6 | Associated General Contractors of Georgia Inc. (Atlanta, GA) | $1,500.00 | | 7 | Independent Insurance Agents GA (Alpharetta, GA) | $1,000.00 | | 8 | POET (Sioux Falls, SD) | $1,000.00 | | 9 | Georgia Coastal Trade PAC Inc. (Tybee Island, GA) | $750.00 | **$43,564** raised · **$36,167** cash on hand — as of **Jun 28, 2026** (GA Ethics latest filing). Source: the Georgia Ethics Commission (Georgia campaign-finance filings). Reported top donors, not a full sector breakdown; Georgia does not produce OpenSecrets-style sector/industry rollups, and the Georgia Ethics Commission holds the official itemized filings and ethics-penalty records. ## Sources - [Georgia Ethics Commission (PeachFile) — campaign finance](https://peachfile.ethics.ga.gov) - [Georgia Ethics Commission — official filings](https://media.ethics.ga.gov/search/Campaign/Campaign_ReportLog.aspx) - [OpenSecrets — Georgia state](https://www.opensecrets.org/states/GA) Accountability ## Scandals Reported controversies, charges & ethics matters · past decade June 2024Ethics — campaign finance ### Fined ~$47,000 by the State Ethics Commission over campaign-spending violations Consent decree — $17,000 fine + $30,000 repayment In one of the costliest state ethics cases involving a Georgia lawmaker, Gilliard agreed to a consent decree over what the State Ethics Commission called “egregious” violations — failing to file six campaign-finance disclosures, filing three late, and leaving 110 expenditures totaling about $54,000 off his reports. He was fined $17,000 and required to repay $30,000 to his campaign account. Sources - [AJC — Gilliard fined over misuse of campaign funds](https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-house-democrat-fined-over-misuse-of-campaign-funds/MHWIPF6LH5ECFJVRLS3E3HOCSM/) - [The Current — ethics board punishes Gilliard](https://thecurrentga.org/2024/06/28/state-ethics-board-punishes-gilliard-for-spending-filing-violations/) Each item is drawn from published reporting or official records, with sources listed. Where a matter was dismissed, settled, withdrawn, or remains pending, that disposition is noted; allegations are identified as such, and inclusion does not imply a finding of guilt. Corrections are welcome via the contact link below. ## Verification Resources - [Georgia General Assembly — House roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/house) - [Carl Gilliard — Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Carl_Gilliard) - [AJC — Georgia House Democrat fined over misuse of campaign funds](https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-house-democrat-fined-over-misuse-of-campaign-funds/MHWIPF6LH5ECFJVRLS3E3HOCSM/) - [Open States — Georgia legislators & votes](https://openstates.org/ga/legislators/) - [Georgia Ethics Commission — campaign finance](https://media.ethics.ga.gov/search/Campaign/Campaign_ReportLog.aspx) Vote positions are Rep. Gilliard's actual recorded votes from the official Georgia roll calls (legis.ga.gov), transcribed into a verified vote database and cross-checked against the published Yea/Nay totals. Campaign-finance figures are pulled live from the Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission (PeachFile) and are current to the committee's most recent filed disclosure report; Georgia does not produce OpenSecrets-style sector/industry rollups. [← All Legislators](https://thegafiles.com/legislators.html)