This legislation changes the juvenile code to include recommendations made by the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice. The juvenile code rewrite inadvertently assigned all juvenile traffic cases to juvenile court, which caused a major increase in caseload and the juvenile courts do not have the administrative capability to handle traffic cases.  This legislation corrects the statute to transfer jurisdiction for those traffic cases back to other local courts that handle traffic offenses.  Additionally this bill authorizes the district attorney to file petitions and prosecute CHINS cases in juvenile courts.

County Impact:  District Attorney's can now prosecute juvenile cases. 

In an effort to address alleged malfeasance by outgoing (lame-duck) local officials, this legislation drastically moves the date on which a newly elected county commissioner takes office to the first Monday following the election, which is at least five days following the election's certification.  Though the author stresses the need for election uniformity, the bill singles out city councils and county commissions.  It does not apply to school boards or constitutional officers.  

Furthermore, any actions taken by the BOC during the time between the date of an election and the date that incoming city and county officials take office shall be voidable if such actions are rescinded by the governing authority for a 30-day period - beginning on the date when the last member of the governing authority elected takes office.   

Please contact your House Representative(s) or ACCG'sTodd Edwards tedwards@accg.org with any concerns you may have with this bill.