Committee adds former military officers to sheriff-qualification bill, passes House Bill 246 as amended

The Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee approved an amendment and passed a committee substitute to House Bill 246, changing who may qualify for sheriff candidacy to include certain first responders, former military officers and former or current law enforcement officers, the committee recorded.

Vice Chairman Houston Gaines, the bill’s author, told the committee the change centers on who may qualify under the statute that defines eligible public-safety personnel. "As long as they swear or affirm that they would be able to complete the training within 6 months, they would be able to go ahead and qualify," Gaines said, describing the substitute’s reliance on code section 45-25-2.

The committee accepted a friendly amendment from Floor Leader McDonald to add the phrase "former military officer" to the eligibility list. McDonald presented the amendment during committee consideration; the author agreed to the language and staff recorded the insertion to follow the existing phrasing. The amendment was approved by voice vote with no recorded nay votes. Afterward the committee voted to pass the committee substitute as amended, also by voice vote; the minutes show the chair stating, "Your amended bill is passed."

The substitute, as explained in committee, would allow an individual who is a first responder as defined in O.C.G.A. §45-25-2, a former military officer, or a former or current local, state or federal law enforcement officer to qualify if that person swears or affirms they can complete required training within six months. Gaines said the bill was developed in consultation with Speaker Pro Tempore Jones and that the referenced code section has a broad definition intended to capture many prospective candidates.

No roll-call vote or tally was recorded in the transcript; the actions in committee were recorded as voice votes. Committee discussion beyond the amendment and the author’s summary was minimal in the transcript, and no public comment or dissenting remarks were recorded on the floor during this agenda item. The committee adjourned after the passage was announced.