Criminal Justice

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

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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

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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 · 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

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables defendants to present evidence of victim's prior abuse as justification defense, promotes victim-centered programs, and aligns with criminal justice reform by enhancing due process and reducing wrongful convictions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence

introduced · Georgia · House Jan 16, 2025

HB 41: Georgia Local Governance and Fair Enforcement Act; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 16-13-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to conditional discharge for possession of controlled substances as first offense and certain nonviolent property crimes, dismissal of charges, and restitution to victims, so as to authorize counties and municipal corporations to adopt ordinances governing and punishing the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana; to amend Code Section 36-1-20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to ordinances for governing and policing of unincorporated areas of county, so as to authorize counties to adopt ordinances governing and punishing the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAuthorizes local ordinances for small marijuana possession (nonviolent offense), reducing criminal penalties and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Victims' Rights

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in committee · Georgia · Senate Jan 16, 2025

SB 14: Elections; the nonpartisan election of district attorneys and solicitors-general of state courts; authorize the General Assembly

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to primaries and elections generally, so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide for the nonpartisan election of district attorneys and solicitors-general of state courts; to provide for the qualifying of such offices; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeNonpartisan election of district attorneys aims to reduce political influence in prosecutions, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of impartiality and accountability.85% confidence

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in committee · Georgia · House Mar 6, 2026

HB 206: Drug-free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990; repeal Article 2 of Chapter 1

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, so as to repeal Article 2 of Chapter 1, the "Drug-free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990"; to remove provisions making students convicted of certain drug offenses ineligible for loans, scholarships, and grants; to provide that students shall not be deemed ineligible for HOPE scholarships or grants based solely on certain convictions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRepeals restrictions preventing students with certain drug convictions from accessing financial aid, reducing barriers to education and aligning with criminal justice reform by promoting rehabilitation over punishment.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRepeals restrictions on drug offense convictions for HOPE scholarships, expanding access to higher education funding and removing barriers to financial aid eligibility.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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introduced · Georgia · House Feb 10, 2025

HB 301: The Time Served Act of 2025; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 35-3-37 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to review of individual's criminal history record information, definitions, privacy considerations, written application requesting review, and inspection, so as to provide for the automatic restriction of criminal history records for convictions of certain misdemeanors and felonies five years after the completion of the sentence; to amend Article 2 of Chapter 9 of Title 42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to grants of pardons, paroles, and other relief, so as to provide for the automatic sealing of certain criminal records; to provide a short title; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAutomatically restricts criminal records after 5 years, reducing barriers to reentry - core criminal justice reform to lower recidivism.95% confidence

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introduced · Georgia · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 368: De-escalation Right To Know Law; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to identification and regulation of motor vehicles, so as to require a law enforcement officer making a traffic stop to provide the operator with the purpose of the stop upon request after such operator displays his or her driver's license; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires officers to state stop reason upon request, enhancing transparency and accountability during traffic stops, aligning with police accountability indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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