Gold Dome Report- Rep. Micah Gravley

As we head into the final days of the legislative session, we are now debating the many Senate bills now under review in the House chamber. Below, I have taken the liberty of highlighting a few of the bills that we are carefully considering in the area of Public Safety. With multiple police shootings over the past year, we are taking extra steps to keep our peace officers out of danger and our citizens safe. As a second amendment guy, I would love to arm every law- abiding citizen! While it may take a bit of time to get that accomplished, I definitely believe we are taking steps in the right direction. I proudly stand with our law enforcement officers, which is why I look forward to supporting the measures listed below. Last week the House passed the “Back the Badge” license plate, which will give our citizens the opportunity to show their support for our law enforcement officers!

1. “Back the Badge” License Plate Sen. Greg Kirk (R – Americus) sponsored Senate Bill 169 which would honor law enforcement officers by allowing citizens to purchase license plates titled “Back the Badge”. The funds collected will be donated to the Peace Officers Annuity and Benefit Fund which prepares their members for retirement and provides a well-deserved pension once that goal is reached. The bill passed with a vote of 54 to 0. – SB 169
2. Weapons Carry for Retired Law Enforcement Officer Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla) sponsored Senate Bill 18, which would allow any certified peace officer employed by any state entity, who retired in good standing, to retain their badge and weapon as compensation. SB 18 would also allow retired a Georgia resident who served as a law enforcement officers for at least 10 years to carry a handgun anywhere in the state. Senate Bill 18 was passed by substitute with a vote of 47 to 1. – SB 18
3. Weapons Carry License for Retired Disabled Law Enforcement Officers Senate Bill 15, sponsored by Sen. Michael Rhett (D – Marietta), authorizes retired disabled law enforcement officers to obtain a free weapons carry license if they have served for at least 10 years or left their position due to an injury suffered in the line of duty. SB 15 also requires that law enforcement officers comply with other stipulations regarding the weapons carry license. SB15 passed with a vote of 51 to 0. – SB 15
4. Carnival Ride Safety Sen. Bruce Thompson (R – White) sponsored Senate Bill 141 which would require an engineering evaluation by engineers on carnival rides before a permit can be issued for operation in the state of Georgia. The engineering evaluation must be done before the ride’s annual inspection. The bill passed by a vote of 53 to 0. – SB 141
5. Protecting Public Safety Officers Sen. Greg Kirk (R – Americus) sponsored Senate Bill 154 which would increase the punishment of individuals who commit crimes of aggravated assault or battery against a public safety officer. SB 154 would add a $5,000 fine to aggravated assault and battery crimes, increase the payments to families of officers who are killed in the line of duty and would provide that parents or legal guardians of minors are responsible for the unlimited financial liability of these crimes. Senate Bill 154 passed with a vote of 47 to 7. – SB 154
6. Local Law Enforcement Compensation Commission Senate Bill 155, sponsored by Sen. Greg Kirk (R – Americus), would establish the Local Law Enforcement Compensation Commission. The Commission would be responsible for examining the salaries and benefits of local law enforcement officers and reviewing compensation offered by law enforcement agencies across the state. SB 155 passed with a vote of 54 to 0. – SB 155
7. Back the Badge Act of 2017 Senate Bill 160, sponsored by Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla), would impose stricter penalties on individuals convicted of harming public safety officers. Under current law, punishment of 10 to 20 years is imposed on anyone who is convicted for aggravated assault for harming a public safety officer. This bill would strengthen the current mandatory minimum sentence for aggravated battery by preventing any part of the 10 year minimum sentence from being suspended, deferred or probated. SB 160 would allow juveniles to be charged as adults, when accused of aggravated assault with a firearm against a law enforcement officer. The bill passed with a vote of 40 to 12. – SB 160
8. The Protect Act – Protecting Georgians Against Terrorism Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Bill Cowsert (R – Athens), would redefine domestic terrorism to include damaging, disrupting or destroying critical infrastructure. SB 1 would also create a separate Department of Homeland Security as well as a State Board of Homeland Security to create a homeland security strategy and oversee its implementation by state and local agencies. The bill would also grant the Georgia Attorney General authority over multi-jurisdictional acts of terror. SB 1 passed with a vote of 42 to 12. – SB 1
9. State Sexual Offender Registry Sen. Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga) sponsored Senate Bill 250 which would require that an individual who is a convicted sexual offender in another country, register on the State Sexual Offender Registry. Under SB 250, the Sexual Offender Registration Review Board transfers its power of sentencing to the Superior Court Judge for convictions. SB 250 passed with a vote of 50 to 0. – SB 250

All bills must pass before midnight on day 40, also known as, Sine Die. That means we will all hit full speed as we work to make sure our bills pass. Measures such as Campus Carry and expansion of medical cannabis oil are still on the table. I expect debate over these bills will continue until the last minutes of session. In the meantime, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me anytime. Thank you for allowing me to serve your interests on Capitol Hill!