This legislation allows victim assistance personnel to be present in the courtroom while a minor is testifying about a sex offense.

In traffic cases where a fine is imposed that includes costs, courts may charge an additional $5 fee, known as the electronic citation fee, if the "governing authority of the court" has adopted a resolution imposing the fee. The fee must be placed in the Electronic Citation Fund. Each year, the court clerk must provide an annual report and accounting of the fund to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority and to each governing authority that approved the resolution imposing the electronic citation fee. The resolution sunsets at the end of each fiscal year and governing authority must adopt a resolution on an annual basis to impose the fee. The Sunset was changed from 5 years from 2019 to 2023.

This legislation allows probate courts to have jurisdiction over traffic cases, even if the county has a state court. Under current law, probate courts do not have jurisdiction over traffic cases if the county has a state court.

This legislation expands probate courts' jurisdiction to include misdemeanors related to alcoholic beverages and under age persons; to livestock running at large, to criminal trespass; to littering, to illegal dumping, to shopfliting ($500 or less); to theft ($1,500 or less); to fourth degree forgery; to obstructing or hindering a law enforcement officer, firefighter, EMT or other emergency medical professional; to obstructing or hindering a person making an emergency call; to giving false name or date of birth; to affray; to disorderly conduct; to harassing phone calls; to unlawful conduct during a 9-1-1 call; to public drunkenness; to possession of marijuana (one ounce or less); to possession or use of drug related objects; and to mandatory education for children between the ages of six and 16. The probate court would only have the ability to hear these cases if the defendant waives their right to a jury trial in writing.

This legislation creates the crime of cargo theft, which includes stealing a trailer or other equipment deployed or used by a law enforcement agency.  This bill amends the powers and duties of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to include the indentification and investigation of these crimes in conjunction with local law enforcement.
 

This legislation allows victims and witnesses under 18 years of age to testify outside of the physical presence of the defendant in certain situations. 

This legislation makes it illegal to use an unmanned aircraft to take pictures of private property or individuals.  For more details on this bill click here.

This legislation prohibits the use of any type of aircraft (manned or unmanned) to operate 100 feet or closer to private property for purposes of "searching or engaging in surveillance" without a search warrant or permission of the property owner.