Under current law, it is illegal to remove a gun from certain public safety officers who are acting in the line of duty. HB 123 makes it illegal to remove a stun gun or taser from these public safety officials.

HB 203 requires the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council to provide notice of any investigation of a peace officer that may result in disciplinary action to the head of the employing law enforcement agency, the district attorney and the solicitor of the judicial circuit where the peace officer is employed.

HB 266 would allow constables for the magistrate court to carry loaded weapons.

This bill was amended in committee to prohibit driver clinics from being taught by any entity except the private sector.  Language was added at the request of GMA and ACCG to exempt from that prohibition any courses offered for insurance premium reduction purposes.

HB 795 changes the definition of "all-terrain vehicles."

This bill would make it a felony for a driver to fail to stop when given a visual or audible signal from a law enforcement officer.

HB 871 extends the sunset on additional penalties that go to driver education purposes from June 30, 2013 to June 30, 2018. ACCG supports the concept of fees for services; however, not one cent of the money raised here (about $10 million annually) has gone for drivers' education recent years.  It has instead been redirected, thus becoming a tax, to balance the state's general fund.  HB 811, having passed but which has been watered down by the Senate Rules Committee, seeks to address this redirection practice. 

SB 53 requires every county to prepare a map or plat by December 31, 2011 showing a special district for every public or private university, college or junior college in the unincorporated area. Any fine for violations of any criminal act, traffic violation or ordinance violation that occurs within this special district would include an additional penalty of 50% of the original fine. On half of the addition 50% would be retained by the county, the other half of this would be required to be placed into a special fund for that special district. The amounts from this special fund could only be used to enhance public safety services for the special district. The county would be required to file a report with the Department of Community Affairs detailing the county's compliance with this law.

SB 59 would require tag agents to obtain an affidavit from applicants seeking to have their tag renewed.  The applicant must swear that he or she has a valid Georgia driver's license or identification card.

Vehicle owners who receive a citation for running a red light as a result of a photo taken by a red light camera may have the citation dismissed simply by submitting a notarized statement that they were not the driver of the vehicle at the time of the violation. SB 60 provides that the notarized statement contain a clear warning to the owner that making a false statement is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine between $100 and $1,000 and/or one year in jail. SB 60 also exempts those drivers caught on camera who are in a funeral procession.

SB 83 sets forth standards and parameters for the use of confidential informants by law enforcement.

SB 94 was a bill that dealt with firearms, but was stripped in House the Non-Civil Judiciary Committee and HB 185, the Runaway Youth Safety Act was inserted.

Under current law, it is a crime for someone to help a child who has run away. HB 185 allows community based programs that provide services to runaway children, homeless children or those at risk of becoming homeless to assist these children so long as the program contacts the parent, guardian or custodian of the child within 72 hours. Alternatively, if the program provider believes that the child has been abused, the provider does not have to notify the parents, guardian or custodian, but must make a report to a child welfare agency providing protective services, to law enforcement or to the district attorney.

This bill requires that peace officers cooperate with investigations by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Council. It also requires that employers provide employment related information (i.e., written information in an employer's records or personnel files relating to the behavior or performance of the applicant, candidate or peace officer) to another law enforcement agency when they are conducting an investigation to hire, certify or renew the certification of a peace officer. The information that the employer is required to disclose includes performance evaluations, disciplinary actions and eligibility for rehire. The law enforcement agency seeking the employment related information must include a copy of a signed and notarized statement from the applicant, candidate or peace officer releasing and holding the employer harmless for disclosing complete and accurate information to the law enforcement agency.

Among numerous other revisions to the state's concealed weapon/legal carry law, SB 102 authorizes probate courts to send out notice to a resident when their legal carry permit is about to expire. It redefines rifle and shotgun, extends the current deadline for creating the new version of the license by one year, specifies when a gun can be carried into or near a school safety zone, and specifies under what circumstances local governments cannot seize or prohibit legally-carried guns.

When renewing a vehicle tag, an applicant would be required to swear that he or she has a valid Georgia driver's license or identification card, including the license or card number.  Tag agents will be required to include this affirmation in the renewal notice form.  Any online renewal would be required to have a place where the applicant can include their driver's license number or identification card number.

This bill would eliminate the ability of counties or cities to use cameras to catch drivers running red lights.

This bill creates a new Fire Safety Commissioner and Department of Fire Safety for Georgia through consolidation of other departments and agencies. The Safety Fire Division of the Department of Insurance, the Georgia Firefighter Standards Council and the Georgia Fire Academy would be abolished. One member of the new Fire Safety Advisory Board will be a member of ACCG.

** Please contact Debra Nesbit at dnesbit@accg.org to provide feedback**

This legislation prohibits offenders who were convicted to certain serious crimes from being granted first offender status. Requires additional review and documentation by the judge.  This bill was signed by the Governor on April 16, 2012.