House Bill 218

Chair's Name: Burke Day

Committee: Public Safety & Homeland Security

House Sponsor: Burke Day

HB 218 makes changes to the traffic enforcement powers of Georgia Port Authority employees. Currently, port authority security guards and investigators have traffic enforcement and arrest powers. This bill takes these powers and gives them to port authority peace officers and makes these peace officers subject to the Georgia peace officer standards and training.

The committee substitute received a Do Pass recommendation from the Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee and comes to the House Floor under the Open Rule. 

Chairman Day's opinion of this legislation:

WHAT PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY DOES THIS LEGISLATION ADDRESS?

Currently, Georgia Ports have the powers of arrest vested in certain employees, particularly security guards. As a possible target for a terrorist act, the Georgia Ports Authority must have post qualified personnel in its law enforcement and security rank and file. This legislation brings the Georgia Ports Authority into compliance with other state law enforcement personnel with arrest powers.

House Vote: 152-0

Senate Vote: 45-1