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Committee advances bill to let state prosecutors pursue foreign‑terror propaganda crimes
Summary
Lawmakers advanced HB 675, which would create a state felony for promoting designated foreign terrorist organizations or knowingly engaging with material support; members debated whether definitions or scope could unintentionally broaden the law beyond federally designated groups.
A House committee advanced legislation that would give Georgia prosecutors state‑level authority to criminalize promotion, propaganda or material support related to foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs), mirroring federal offenses.
Representative (speaker 18) told members the bill parallels federal statutes and follows a list of designated groups maintained under federal law and state executive orders. Sponsors said the state measure would allow more immediate action in cases where federal enforcement is not timely.
Members questioned whether local prosecutors have the resources to pursue such crimes and whether the bill’s language — which references both designated FTOs and organizations that "engage in acts of terrorism" — could broaden the statute’s reach. One lawmaker and legal counsel said the draft requires that the aided organization be on the federal designation list to constitute a state crime, though a defendant could be convicted if they knew the organization engaged in terrorism even without knowing its formal listing. The sponsor said courts would ultimately define edge cases.
The committee approved the bill by voice vote.
What happens next: HB 675 will proceed to rules committee; sponsors said they will provide members with the federal list of designated organizations and continue consultation with the Attorney General’s Office.
