A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding the assessment and payment of costs of criminal proceedings, so as to provide for the award of reasonable attorney's fees and costs in a criminal case to the defendant upon such defendant making a successful motion to disqualify the prosecuting attorney for misconduct in connection with the case; to provide for procedures for assessing and paying such fees and costs; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
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.
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.
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Titles 16, 17, and 24 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, criminal procedure, and evidence, respectively, so as to provide for defendants to support a justification defense by offering evidence of family violence, dating violence, or child abuse committed by the alleged victim; to provide a privilege for participation in victim centered programs and victim-offender dialogues; to provide for definitions; to provide for limitations; to provide for civil immunity for facilitators in certain circumstances; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to criminal procedure, so as to provide for pretrial proceedings in capital offense cases where the death penalty is sought when the accused has intellectual disability; to provide for a definition; to provide for notice of intent to claim intellectual disability; to provide for pretrial determination of intellectual disability; to provide for verdicts; to provide for capital case procedures; to provide for reports investigating reversible error; to provide for a standard of review; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
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.
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.
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend various provisions of the O.C.G.A., so as to rename low THC oil as medical cannabis; to amend Chapter 12 of Title 16, Article 2 of Chapter 13 of Title 16, and Article 1 of Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the O.C.G.A., relating to offenses against the public health and morals, regulation of controlled substances, and general provisions relative to the Department of Public Health, respectively, so as to clarify and revise criminal penalties; to clarify and revise exemptions to criminal penalties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
