[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6637904,"mediaKeyId","2578284-ed8f2ff08facc1997d61c6d1c5844477","parentId",2578284,"title","Senate panel hears bill to give departing inmates records and IDs to aid reentry","audioSeconds",468,"startMs",3687000,"endMs",4155000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2578284-ed8f2ff08facc1997d61c6d1c5844477&start=3687&end=4155","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2578284-ed8f2ff08facc1997d61c6d1c5844477/thumbnail_3687000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6637904/Georgia/Senate-panel-hears-bill-to-give-departing-inmates-records-and-IDs-to-aid-reentry","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637904-bf99540ebcb48a43a0997bb14e46b451/orig.mp4?Expires=1776662039&Signature=RuNGb2N1J0-LIsuOgdp41bnfv-GE3pP~lhaKbYV4yGWW4ekTctr1AvcswqeomW33lkxb2FEdFSdSsntfNia0GEIERvRaeKHkLuu-22~7-AInaeJ1Yff-G-tcGDpE9Apt7K8Y5iWiL9vBKgLr5dFB8z17hMbMeQb8L7t76ExZIsZ9lZBB0cT2GHQ5UF5FTC8Mzl~F1j5Ex1W7R~n5PWigvBxFGzCt8BT2NHRuWzphwSPJjsWpZLbWWIeBV94Zh5xQnzqTb5CCrIJLitEwrtgJG9LWAgOFP4QZHlOyhwS21524bKEyVWhLCkhtEGbPuF2pTSODr-0rfOGW13oUoDHgJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Georgia State Legislature","date","2025-03-12T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 147 would direct the Georgia Department of Corrections to provide inmates being released from state prisons with documents intended to ease reentry and employment, including vocational training records, work records, certified copies of birth certificates, copies or replacements of Social Security cards, a resume documenting training and trade proficiency, and proof that the inmate completed mock job interviews or program certificates.

The sponsor said the requirement was developed with the Department of Corrections and aims to increase post-release employment prospects and reduce recidivism. The bill maintains a prior 2023 requirement that the Department of Driver Services and the Department of Corrections provide identification cards or a driver’s license to released inmates who do not have valid state ID, and it would not require charges for inmates over age 65 released to medical reprieve.

Committee members asked about operational details at several points, including record availability for long-term inmates, which agencies would produce or certify certain records, and whether county jails were included; the sponsor clarified the bill targets state prisons rather than county jails to leverage statewide DOC programming and recordkeeping. Chairman Powell and other members asked whether corrections had requested the change and whether the department could reliably assemble career portfolios for long-term inmates; the sponsor and corrections staff said the proposal had been prepared in coordination with corrections and related agencies.

A committee member raised concerns about compliance with federal restrictions on employment for persons unlawfully present in the United States; the sponsor agreed to work with the committee to ensure the bill applies to the state-prison population and to address any immigration-related legal issues. The committee treated SB 147 as a hearing only; no final action was taken and staff were asked to continue discussions on specific operational and eligibility questions.

If enacted, the bill would also notify inmates that they are eligible to apply for occupational licenses with the applicable state licensing agency when their training is applicable to a regulated trade.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3.12.25 Public Safety & Homeland Security","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 147 would direct the Georgia Department of Corrections to provide inmates being released from state prisons with documents intended to ease reentry and employment, including vocational training records, certified birth certificates and replacement Social Security cards.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Georgia , Georgia","taxId",77688,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637909,"Committee hears debate over bill to expand 'law enforcement officer' definition to include certain federal agents",1830,1790000,3620000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2578284-ed8f2ff08facc1997d61c6d1c5844477&start=1790&end=3620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2578284-ed8f2ff08facc1997d61c6d1c5844477/thumbnail_1790000.jpg","/articles/6637909/Georgia/Committee-hears-debate-over-bill-to-expand-law-enforcement-officer-definition-to-include-certain-federal-agents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637909-4880420dfb8270a41fe388f5113afc52/orig.mp4?Expires=1776662039&Signature=glV~he9vp8EmmYCeoJsmC7uWCqphCWM5t6IZAnu7TpFzVHP-842xMRGOsB63mq6QKu4B3miFbo1LXZQzgDe1Paal7KSG3vqDveQLwmBexiK1w-xX8oUlTU20pRGHOMOON0PDpgc~v8-IxXHKskIPYIBgr-FRP3pZpFy4chSeVVFm6zyAUxOBrJ6dZwa8e~S4fPxvUZCP6GnLAo6roWLjE7JlUQHQQHbA2zrGwia6zECjcFCRiTB6D8YYRCNXygTzm7n5RsvJtmizthcALe4nZMqLSu48~bm7B3poopbriuRV1bqqlX99VUxP9TgkKLIF~FRfchxCyWpze99yJvkwuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Georgia Senate Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security held a hearing on Senate Bill 99, a proposal to clarify the statutory definition of “law enforcement officer” so it can include certain federal officers when they are assisting state or local agencies or must act immediately to protect public safety.

Sponsor Senator Whit Robertson said the change is meant to narrow uncertainty in statutes that allow arrests and other interventions but do not define who qualifies as a law enforcement officer for that purpose. “The simplest way to resolve this…to allow federal partners who are in a situation where they either witness or are assisting law enforcement officers to make that arrest would be to define law enforcement officer in title 16,” the sponsor said.

Supporters including attorney Lance LaRusso, who described decades of experience as a prosecutor and certified peace officer, told the committee the bill is narrowly drafted and does not convert federal agents into Georgia-certified peace officers or allow them to obtain search warrants under state procedures. LaRusso described existing training differences and said federal basic training (FLETC) includes substantial Fourth Amendment and criminal-procedure instruction taught by federal attorneys.

Opponents, led by Maisie Lynn Guertin, executive director of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, urged the committee to adopt narrower language. Guertin said expanding Title 16’s definition could have broader consequences because Title 16 references appear throughout state criminal code and that the same policy aim could be achieved by amending the citizen’s-arrest statute in Title 17 to encompass federal officers working with state task forces.

Committee members pressed over questions including how the bill interacts with POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) certification and the extent to which federal officers receive Georgia-specific training. Witnesses said federal agencies typically provide state-specific briefings and that Georgia’s POST provides gap training for officers moving in from other states, but that federal basic academies cover substantial constitutional and Fourth Amendment materials.

Law-enforcement associations including the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police and the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association were noted as generally supportive; some groups, including the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, recommended narrower language or alternative drafting that would put the federal officers into the Title 17 arrest statute rather than into Title 16.

The committee treated the measure as a hearing only and did not take a final vote. Sponsors and opponents said they will continue to negotiate language to address training, deputization and limits on investigatory powers.","Senate Bill 99 would define 'law enforcement officer' in state code to encompass certain federal officers when assisting local agencies or acting in exigent circumstances; supporters say it offers liability protection, critics warn it could be broader than intended.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637914,"Senate panel hears bill to reopen COVID-era death-benefit claims for fallen officers",349,1446000,1795000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2578284-ed8f2ff08facc1997d61c6d1c5844477&start=1446&end=1795","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2578284-ed8f2ff08facc1997d61c6d1c5844477/thumbnail_1446000.jpg","/articles/6637914/Georgia/Senate-panel-hears-bill-to-reopen-COVID-era-death-benefit-claims-for-fallen-officers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637914-cc17a72565bc287772d62de0ac85db74/orig.mp4?Expires=1776662039&Signature=MTYpzfvzEkgNna4dB~6oKdIMeAnZcHsek0VvyaR~MaFCCtBiOglrERrsKZFw2AdkkBsmIlFUFNr7wIbVRkJ0-4CV-HScvac212t4~je8YQe~lSyE2RVRgh8koUsxePssslA3t1ROMw5ZnnRBRMt187CiAPQ05bZkVOjTCe8VAaJzHmFOr-aRnapComZ8JkFEAKnT7AtbWEK7bBk936qdHJasKSC3w2rv7HDcaopOQbC3PJQqsrCmKV0nAwwGatV4JcgilLvX3~LnTO7Bhek31guMAmvQHpdii-d1hupr0N2Xf3Rt8WdEB2dbhm0pi3s~pTTZvoG3GIMTVTj8yb24Ig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Georgia Senate Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security on Wednesday heard testimony on Senate Bill 56, which would allow families of law enforcement officers who died of COVID-19 on or before April 15, 2022, to apply for benefits from a state indemnification fund during a short application window.

Committee members and the bill’s sponsor told the panel that funds to pay approved claims—about $4,350,000—were added to the amended fiscal-year budget and signed by the governor, and the bill would create a procedural trigger so eligible families can submit claims. “This bill basically allows, families who had filed claims and were denied claims, to receive those benefits,” the bill presenter said during the hearing.

The legislation sets a strict eligibility timeline: deaths must have occurred on or before April 15, 2022 (the date the state of emergency expired), applications would be accepted beginning when the bill becomes law (the presenter said July 1, 2025) and must be filed before Aug. 1, 2025. The Department of Administrative Services told the committee the estimated cost of the claims is roughly $4,350,000 and that the appropriation is already included in the amended budget passed earlier this year.

Members of the committee offered brief remarks, including personal testimony from one senator who described a former partner who died after contracting COVID-19 in late 2020. Representative Jackson asked for clarification of the application window; the sponsor confirmed the July 1–Aug. 1, 2025 timing as the operative window for filing claims.

The committee did not take final action on the bill. Members moved to treat the item as a hearing only and said they will reconvene soon for follow-up work. The sponsor said staff and legislators have coordinated with the administration and local stakeholders and that roughly 29 family claims had been denied previously and could be eligible under the bill.

The committee also noted that current statute and administrative rules already include eligibility conditions for survivors and that the bill is not changing survivor definitions but is creating the mechanism and timing for filing the previously denied claims.

The committee adjourned the item without a vote and scheduled further consideration at a later date.","Senate Bill 56 would let families of law enforcement officers who died of COVID-19 on or before April 15, 2022, apply for indemnification benefits during a limited window; the committee treated the measure as a hearing only and will revisit it.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637899,"Senate hearing on bill to strip sovereign immunity from localities that flout immigration-detainer rules draws wide testimony",3369,4154000,7523000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2578284-ed8f2ff08facc1997d61c6d1c5844477&start=4154&end=7523","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2578284-ed8f2ff08facc1997d61c6d1c5844477/thumbnail_4154000.jpg","/articles/6637899/Georgia/Senate-hearing-on-bill-to-strip-sovereign-immunity-from-localities-that-flout-immigration-detainer-rules-draws-wide-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637899-eb4f350579da14d994aaf6aa8a2ae166/orig.mp4?Expires=1776662039&Signature=KJaN6atMfa7R3NloSIkX1DmlCJJvJw00Ff5zu1MpEw3AUzEt3qgr-GgTXr8AgodxKrOv7KRxMS-F8C841eRVZSHjewWT7hAEXs6Q3~32IAjOuTnK53dpQqNFxpsw6n5yeIEOdOalmrWVmXK0c~QquvTdD9OVyNK80NxIYxPgtBOEZsVUv6o3tqACQo0yYPxR~~92K6LARmhMFcAPLnQmS-1QGreDN2-r~YPY5reb1OGUUxKiGt5aNDbTwyxwscxUBVU9vltxAPysdXLE~x0-f-19V5ArA3aToj8eDZosgntjbFBOckU0bD16-kSoT8ZNNIgs-4Ln0RnF1SCGON1~IA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Georgia Senate Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security held an extended hearing on Senate Bill 21, a proposal that would expose local governments to civil liability and a waiver of sovereign immunity if they adopt or maintain policies that refuse to comply with state immigration laws or ignore ICE detainer requests.

Sponsor Senator Tillery said the bill is intended to hold local governments accountable when they do not follow state law on immigration enforcement and detainer cooperation. “If a city or county…were to have sanctuary policies…or were to not fulfill the immigration detainer orders…then they waive their sovereign immunity for acts that may happen because they did not follow those laws,” the sponsor told the committee, citing the Athens incident as an example of the harms the bill aims to prevent.

Representatives of municipal and county associations urged the committee to temper the measure. DJ Waller of the Georgia Municipal Association and Rucia Paterra, GMA general counsel, proposed amendments that would add a 15‑day cure period and a declaratory-judgment mechanism so a court could determine whether a policy actually violates state law before penalties or litigation proceed. Rucia Paterra told the committee that Georgia’s constitution already permits declaratory-judgment actions and that courts should be able to rule on whether an entity’s policy qualifies as a sanctuary policy before civil penalties follow.

The Association County Commissioners of Georgia recommended allowing existing House Bill 1105—which imposes penalties such as loss of certain state grants and permits for noncompliant jurisdictions—time to work, and asked for clearer drafting so liability would attach to the governing body that is violating the law rather than to related entities such as sheriffs' offices in ways that could shift costs to taxpayers.

Opponents from advocacy groups including the Galileo Impact Fund, Common Cause Georgia, and youth and immigrant-advocacy organizations warned that the bill would chill cooperation between immigrant communities and law enforcement, impose large litigation costs on local governments and schools, and risk harms to the state economy. Witnesses highlighted past experience with strict state immigration laws—citing 2011’s HB 87—and argued the bill risks reduced reporting of crime and labor shortages in key industries.

Committee members questioned practical details, including whether the proposed liability would apply to sheriffs or governing bodies, how detainer requests and timing should be defined (witnesses pointed to the standard 48‑hour ICE detainer window), and how declaratory relief and a cure period might work in practice. Several members urged narrower drafting and consultation with municipal and county stakeholders.

The committee held the item as a hearing only and did not vote. Sponsors and municipal representatives indicated they will continue to negotiate possible amendments, including the 15‑day cure and declaratory-judgment language proposed by GMA.","Senate Bill 21 would allow civil liability and waive sovereign immunity for local governments found not to comply with state laws on 'sanctuary' policies and ICE detainers; the measure drew opposition from municipal and civil-society groups and support from sponsors seeking accountability for noncompliant localities; the committee held a hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate panel hears bill to give departing inmates records and IDs to aid reentry

Committee hears debate over bill to expand 'law enforcement officer' definition to include certain federal agents

Senate panel hears bill to reopen COVID-era death-benefit claims for fallen officers

Senate hearing on bill to strip sovereign immunity from localities that flout immigration-detainer rules draws wide testimony