Criminal Justice

died · Georgia · House Apr 4, 2025

HB 518: Sexual Assault Reform Act of 2025; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to searches and seizures, so as to authorize the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to create and operate a state-wide sexual assault kit tracking system; to amend Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to law enforcement officers and agencies, so as to provide for the creation of the Forensic Medical Examination Advisory Committee; to provide for composition; to provide for rules; to provide for training protocols regarding forensic medical examinations; to provide for forensic testing; to provide a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates sexual assault kit tracking system and forensic advisory committee to improve case handling and accountability in criminal justice.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

Track

signed · Georgia · Senate Jul 1, 2026

SB 207: Professions and Businesses; a preclearance process in the licensing of individuals with criminal records who make application to or are investigated by certain licensing boards and commissions; create

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Titles 20, 26, 31, 33, and 43 of the O.C.G.A., relating to education, food, drugs, and cosmetics, health, insurance, and professions and businesses; to amend Chapter 4 of Title 25 of the O.C.G.A., relating to firefighter standards and training; to amend Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 35 of the O.C.G.A., relating to Georgia Crime Information Center; to amend Article 3 of Chapter 8 of Title 42 of the O.C.G.A., relating to first offenders; to amend Code Section 17-10-21 of the O.C.G.A., relating to vacating of sentence for trafficking victim defendants; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates preclearance process for licensing individuals with criminal records, reducing employment barriers and supporting reintegration/reduced recidivism.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

died · Georgia · House Apr 4, 2025

HB 464: Crimes and offenses; immunity for a prospective offender while seeking assistance from law enforcement as a victim of certain offenses; provide

A BILL To be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to justification and excuse relative to defenses to criminal prosecutions, so as to provide for immunity for a prospective offender while seeking assistance from law enforcement as a victim of certain offenses; to provide for limitations regarding prosecution; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProvides immunity for victims seeking law enforcement help, removing barriers to reporting and promoting victim access to justice systems, aligning with reform goals.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

Track

died · Georgia · House Apr 4, 2025

HB 602: Education; denial of state funds for loans, grants, and scholarships for any student convicted of a criminal offense; provisions

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to education, so as to provide for the denial of state funds for loans, grants, and scholarships for any student who is convicted of a criminal offense or who is determined by the postsecondary educational institution at which such student is enrolled to have violated a postsecondary educational institution's code of conduct for students when such conviction or determination is a result of a student engaging in materially and substantially disruptive conduct on such postsecondary educational institution's campus; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeDenies education funding to students with criminal convictions, restricting rehabilitation opportunities and opposing reform efforts that support reentry.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill denies state funds for loans/grants/scholarships to students with criminal convictions or conduct violations, directly restricting educational funding access for specific groups.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

died · Georgia · House Apr 4, 2025

HB 246: Courts; office of sheriff and training of peace officers; revise qualification requirements

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 15-16-1 and Chapter 8 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to qualification requirements for sheriff and exemptions and employment and training of peace officers, respectively, so as to require a person qualifying as a candidate for sheriff be a peace officer not under revocation or suspension by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council; to provide for a penalty; to provide for submission of a form completed by the executive director of such council; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires sheriff candidates to be active peace officers without disciplinary action, enhancing accountability standards in law enforcement.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

Track

passed · Georgia · House Mar 10, 2025

HR 128: Watkins, Mr. Joseph Samuel; compensate

This resolution compensates Joseph Samuel Watkins for his wrongful conviction and 22 years of incarceration following his exoneration in 2023. It directs the state to pay $1,688,527.40 total - $535,000 as an initial lump sum and the remainder as a 10-year annuity starting in 2026 - to Watkins for his losses. Watkins must sign a waiver releasing Georgia from all future claims related to his case. The resolution applies solely to Watkins and does not establish a general compensation program for exonerees in Georgia.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCompensates wrongful conviction victim, aligning with civil rights protection and criminal justice reform by addressing systemic failure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

Track

signed · Georgia · Senate Jul 1, 2025

SB 147: Correctional Institutions of State and Counties; consent for the release of certain criminal history, vocational, and educational information for inmates upon release; provide

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 5 of Title 42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to conditions of detention generally relative to correctional institutions of state and counties, so as to provide consent for the release of certain criminal history, vocational, and educational information for inmates upon release; to provide for issuance of an identification card and a Program and Treatment Completion Certificate; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProvides consent for release of inmate vocational/educational info and completion certificates to aid post-release reintegration, reducing recidivism through rehabilitation support.90% confidence

signed · Georgia · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 185: Correctional Institutions of State and Counties; use of state funds or resources for certain treatments for state inmates; prohibit

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to correctional institutions of state and counties, so as to prohibit the use of state funds or resources for certain treatments for state inmates; to provide for the adoption of rules and regulations by the Board of Corrections relating to such prohibitions and exceptions; to provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeProhibits state funds for inmate treatments, restricting rehabilitation programs which aligns with 'oppose' indicators of cutting rehabilitation services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

signed · Georgia · Senate Jul 1, 2025

SB 79: "Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act"; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 16 of the O.C.G.A., relating to crimes and offenses, so as to revise threshold amounts of fentanyl and related substances necessary to constitute the offenses of possessing, selling, distributing, and manufacturing of such substances; to revise mandatory minimum departure provisions for defendants convicted of trafficking of substances in violation of Code Section 16-13-31, relating to trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs, marijuana, or methamphetamine and penalties; to amend various titles of the O.C.G.A., so as to provide for conforming changes; to provide for an effective date; to provide for applicability; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeLowers fentanyl offense thresholds and strengthens mandatory minimums for drug trafficking, increasing criminalization and harsher sentencing without reform elements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Sentencing

signed · Georgia · House Jul 1, 2025

HB 238: Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council; create and maintain an at-risk adult training course focusing on officer response to individuals with Alzheimer's disease or dementia

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 8 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to employment and training of police officers, so as to require the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council to create and maintain an at-risk adult training course focusing on officer response to individuals with Alzheimer's disease or dementia; to provide for requirements for such course; to provide for collaborative course development with the Division of Aging Services; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires police training on responding to dementia patients, enhancing officer accountability and reducing potential misuse of force during encounters with vulnerable adults.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing