SB 38 amends O.C.G.A 36-8-6 to allow for county police departments to be abolished via either a local act passed by the General Assembly or a resolution from the county governing authority. Abolishment through either action must be approved by a local referendum. If the referendum is approved, the county police department would be abolished 180 days following the date of the referendum and all assets of the county police department would be transferred to the county sheriff. The bill contains a sunset provision which would automatically repeal the law on January 1, 2022.

Original Bill:

SB 38 as originally filed amended Title 15 of the O.C.G.A. to clarify the filing of paper documents at a courthouse and exempts certain groups from electronic filing fees in civil cases. It also required that new case numbers be given to post-judgment proceedings filed more than 30 days after the initial judgment or dismissal of a case and provides for the computerized record-keeping of such post-judgment filings. SB 38 also included language from HB 502 relating to continuances for members of the General Assembly, the Office of Legislative Counsel, the Board of Regents and the Attorney General and his/her staff. This language was included in HB 239