House Bill 1004
By: Representatives Wilkerson of the 38th, Campbell of the 35th, Panitch of the 51st, Kendrick
of the 95th, Romman of the 97th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to the security guard division of the Department of Public Safety, so as to authorize
the commissioner of public safety to provide security guards to the majority and minority
leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives and their families or any member of the
General Assembly who is subject to a creditable threat to his or her safety or security in the
same manner as currently provided for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of
the House of Representatives; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
security guard division of the Department of Public Safety, is amended by revising Code
Section 35-2-73, relating to security guards for protection of Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
Speaker of the House, and their families and executive department and transportation of
family members at state expense, as follows:
"35-2-73.
(a) The commissioner shall be authorized to employ such number of security guards as
may be necessary to keep watch over and protect the Governor and members of his <ins>or her
</ins> immediate family, the Lieutenant Governor and members of his <ins>or her</ins> immediate family,
the Speaker of the House of Representatives and members of his <ins>or her</ins> immediate family,
<ins>the majority leader of the Senate and his or her immediate family, the minority leader of
the Senate and his or her immediate family, the majority leader of the House of
Representatives and his or her immediate family, the minority leader of the House of
Representatives and his or her immediate family,</ins> the executive department at the state
capitol or at any other place as the executive department may be moved, the executive
center or other residence of the Governor, the residences and offices of the Lieutenant
Governor, <del>and</del> the Speaker of the House of Representatives, <ins>the majority and minority
leaders of both the Senate and the House of Representatives,</ins> and such other state property
and individuals as may be directed by the Governor.
(b) Members of the Governor's family, the Lieutenant Governor's family, <del>and</del> the Speaker's
family, <ins>and the families of majority and minority leaders of both the Senate and the House
of Representatives</ins> for whom protection is provided by the Security Guard Division, when
traveling with the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, <del>or</del> the Speaker, <ins>or the majority or
minority leaders of either the Senate or the House of Representatives,</ins> as the case may be,
when traveling on state related business at the request of the Governor, the Lieutenant
Governor, <del>or</del> the Speaker, <ins>or the majority or minority leaders of both the Senate and the
House of Representatives,</ins> as the case may be, or when in the judgment of the
commissioner security considerations so dictate, may be transported by means of state
owned transportation facilities, when appropriate, or at state expense by private carrier,
when the use of such state owned facilities are not practical or appropriate.
<ins>(c) The commissioner shall be authorized to employ such number of security guards as
may be necessary to keep watch over and protect any member of the General Assembly,
</ins>
<ins>and such member's immediate family, if the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has
determined that such member is subject to a credible threat to his or her safety or security.
Such watch over and protection shall be provided to such members of the General
Assembly in the same manner as provided for in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code
section."
</ins> SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.