HB315: HB315 Law Enforcement Partners Act; enact

25 LC 56 0325S The House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security offe rs the following substitute to HB 315: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Code Sections 16-1-3 and 17-4-20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,1 relating to definitions relative to crimes and offenses and authorization of arrests with and2 without warrants generally, use of deadly force, adoption or pr omulgation of conflicting3 regulations, policies, ordinances, and resolutions, and authori ty of nuclear power facility4 security officer, respectively, so as to provide for a definition of law enforcement officer; to5 provide for a cross reference to such definition; to provide fo r a short title; to provide for6 related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 SECTION 1.9 This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Law Enforcement Partners Act."10 SECTION 2.11 Code Section 16-1-3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions12 relative to crimes and offenses, is amended by adding a new paragraph to read as follows:13 "(8.1) 'Law enforcement officer' means:14 (A) A peace officer;15 H. B. 315 (SUB) - 1 - 25 LC 56 0325S (B) Any state or federal law enforcement officer who render as sistance to a law16 enforcement agency of this state or any political subdivision t hereof in response to a17 declaration of a state of emergency or disaster issued by the Governor pursuant to Code18 Section 38-3-51;19 (C) An appointed chief of police or department head of a law enforcement unit who20 has not completed the applicab le training required by Code Sect ion 35-8-2021 or 35-8-20.1 from the date of initial appointment to the date by which such training is22 to be completed pursuant to the applicable Code section;23 (D) An individual certified or commissioned in another state a s a law enforcement24 officer, peace officer, or other official as being authorized t o make arrests and carry25 firearms in the performance of his or her official duties who i s employed by a law26 enforcement agency, enforcement unit, agency, or department of this state or any27 municipality, county, or other political subdivision thereof but who has not completed28 the applicable training required by Chapter 8 of Title 35, the 'Georgia Peace Officer29 Standards and Training Act,' provided that such individual's certification or commission30 in another state remains in good standing; and31 (E) A federal law enforcement officer who is employed by the U nited States32 government as a full-time law enforcement officer, is in good standing with his or her33 federal agency of employment, is authorized to carry a firearm in the performance of34 his or her official duties, and is empowered to arrest a person for criminal violations of35 the United States Code."36 SECTION 3.37 Code Section 17-4-20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to authorization38 of arrests with and without warrants generally, use of deadly force, adoption or promulgation39 of conflicting regulations, policies, ordinances, and resolutio ns, and authority of nuclear40 H. B. 315 (SUB) - 2 - 25 LC 56 0325S power facility security officer, is amended in subsection (a) b y adding a new paragraph to41 read as follows:42 "(4) As used in this subsection, the term 'law enforcement offi cer' shall have the same43 meaning as set forth in Code Section 16-1-3."44 SECTION 4.45 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.46 H. B. 315 (SUB) - 3 -