This legislation allows injunctions and declaratory judgment actions to be brought against the county (i.e., it waives sovereign immunity) when the county causes injury to a person by acting in violation of the Georgia Constitution or state law.  This waiver of sovereign immunity does not allow the person bringing the lawsuit to obtain monetary damages, attorney's fees or litigation costs.  HB 59 does not allow inmates or institutionalized individuals to bring injunctions or declaratory judgment actions against counties.  

This legislation prohibits counties from assisting the armed forces of the United States in investigating, prosecuting or detaining any person who was part of or supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban or associated foreces engaged in hostilities against the U.S. or its coalition partners or anyone who commits a belligeraent act against the U.S. or its coalition allies under the law of war if the investigation, prosecution or detention would be in violation of the U.S. Constitution, the Georgia Constituion or any Georgia law.

This legislation transfers the Division of Aging Services from the Department of Human Services to a newly created agency called the Georgia Adult and Aging Services Agency.  

This legislation extends the date for adoption of drug free commercial zones by local ordinance to July of 2015.

This legislation requires law enforcement agencies to destroy all data captured by automatic license plate readers after one year. This bill also makes it clear that license plate reader data is not subject to open records disclosure.

This legislation rewrites the Georgia Code of Military Justice to be more in line with the Federal Code of Military Justice. 

This legislation is the Department of Driver Services (DDS) annual housekeeping bill. One provision of this legislation eliminates the requirement that DDS notify licensed drivers by certified mail of suspension for failure to appear for a hearing on a traffic offense. The bill was amended in the rules committee prior to going to the floor to include a requirement that the court send a notice certified return receipt mail to those who fail to appear for court and give an opportunity for an additional hearing before notifying DDS. The proposed requirement could be a significant cost for local courts.  The current version of the bill has stripped out the certified return receipt mail requirement for counties.

This legislation increases the maximum expense allowance for trial jurors and grand jurors from a minimum of $5.00 to a maximum of $50 to $75 per day. The minimum compensation remains at $5.00 per day.

This legislation requires DFCS to acknowledge in writing to the informant within 24 hours of receiving information about suspected child abuse and the completion of investigation. This legislation specifies that in the absence of a DFCS agency, the law enforcement agency or prosecuting attorney shall acknowledge receipt of report, and the results of any investigation.  This legislation should have no impact on the counties with DFCS offices, for those without a DFCS office the responsibility will fall to local law enforcement.