Issue · Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice

Every criminal justice bill, vote, and legislator stance in Georgia, automatically classified by Maddy, our AI policy reader.

Total bills
21
2025-2026 Regular Session
Top supporter
Michael Smith
100% support rate
Top opponent
Tim Bearden
24% support rate
Ranked legislators
10
5 support · 5 oppose
Key legislators

Who's moving criminal justice in Georgia

Legislators moving criminal justice in Georgia
Legislator Party Stance Support rate Decisive votes
Michael Smith
Michael Smith House · District 41
D
Strong +
100% 8
Scott Holcomb
Scott Holcomb House · District 101
D
Strong +
100% 8
Steven McNeel
Steven McNeel Senate · District 18
R
Strong +
100% 7
Yasmin Neal
Yasmin Neal House · District 79
D
Strong +
100% 5
Debbie Buckner
Debbie Buckner House · District 137
D
Strong +
88% 8
Tim Bearden
Tim Bearden Senate · District 30
R
Oppose
24% 17
Emory Dunahoo
Emory Dunahoo House · District 31
R
Oppose
25% 8
Gary Richardson
Gary Richardson House · District 125
R
Oppose
25% 8
Johnny Chastain
Johnny Chastain House · District 7
R
Oppose
25% 8
Josh Bonner
Josh Bonner House · District 73
R
Oppose
25% 8
Showing 11–20 of 21 bills

All criminal justice bills

passed both · Georgia · House Apr 2, 2026

HB 309: Local government; require adoption of a resolution or ordinance and voter approval prior to abolishment of a police force that was created by such method

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 8 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to county police, so as to require adoption of a resolution or ordinance and voter approval prior to abolishment of a police force that was created by such method; to provide for a referendum; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
passed · Georgia · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SR 432: Senate Higher Education in Prison Study Committee; create

Senate Resolution 432 creates the Senate Higher Education in Prison Study Committee to examine opportunities for expanding postsecondary education in Georgia prisons. The committee, composed of six Senate members (including two bipartisan co-chairs) and four state agency representatives (like corrections and higher education officials), will study current programs, successful national models, and barriers to education access for incarcerated individuals. Its findings may lead to future legislation, but the committee itself has no authority to enact changes and will dissolve by December 1, 2025.
passed · Georgia · Senate Mar 27, 2026

SB 482: Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies; persons requesting booking photographs to provide the first and last names of the individuals in the photographs; require

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding law enforcement officers and agencies, so as to require persons requesting booking photographs to provide the first and last names of the individuals in the photographs; to require requests for booking photographs to be made as separate requests; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
passed · Georgia · Senate Mar 27, 2026

SB 572: Criminal Prosecutions; an additional justification for use of force in defense of self or others; 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 in defenses to criminal prosecutions, so as to provide for an additional justification for use of force in defense of self or others; to amend Code Section 51-11-9 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to no duty to retreat and immunity in certain instances of threat or use of force, so as to extend immunity from civil liability in justified use of force cases to legal representatives and heirs of the person against whom force was used; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
passed · Georgia · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 604: Crimes and Offenses; the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction with district attorneys to conduct criminal prosecutions of violent crimes, illegal immigration offenses, and fentanyl offenses; provide

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, so as to provide the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction with district attorneys to conduct criminal prosecutions of violent crimes, illegal immigration offenses, and fentanyl offenses; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
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.
signed · Georgia · Senate Jul 1, 2025

SB 132: Insanity and Mental Incapacity; hearing before a court orders an evaluation of the mental competency of an accused person to stand trial; require

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 7 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to insanity and mental incapacity, so as to require a hearing before a court orders an evaluation of the mental competency of an accused person to stand trial; to provide for the release of reports of such evaluations; to establish different procedures in cases where the subject has been accused only of one or more nonviolent misdemeanor offenses, including automatic dismissal in some cases, subject to exceptions; to provide for such different procedures and such exceptions; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
signed · Georgia · Senate Jul 1, 2025

SB 244: Criminal Proceedings; 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; provide

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.
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.
signed · Georgia · House Jul 1, 2025

HB 582: Georgia Survivor Justice Act; enact

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.
Showing 11 to 20 of 21 bills