The Senate Committee on Public Safety offered the following
substitute to HB 1023:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 27 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to loitering at or disrupting schools, so as to require local boards of education and
other public school governing bodies to establish and provide for security measures to detect
weapons and to aid in the prevention of individuals attempting to unlawfully possess or carry
weapons in certain school buildings; to provide for exceptions; to authorize the use of
funding; to provide for definitions; to provide for an effective date; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 27 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
loitering at or disrupting schools, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as
follows:
<ins>"20-2-1187.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'weapon' shall have the same meaning as set
forth in Code Section 16-11-127.1.
</ins>
<ins>(b)(1) Each local board of education and other public school governing body shall
implement a weapon detection system and shall adopt policies, rules, regulations, and
procedures as necessary to establish and provide for security measures to:
(A) Detect, through electronic, analytical, visual, olfactory, or other means, the
presence of weapons; and
(B) Aid in the prevention of any individual attempting to unlawfully possess or carry
a weapon in any permanent building that is owned by or leased to a local board of
education or other public school governing body where students are present in
accordance with routine school operations and procedures.
(2) Such system, policies, rules, regulations, and procedures shall, at a minimum, require
that such security measures are utilized at all main points of entry to such permanent
buildings, as provided in school safety plans required under Code Section 20-2-1185;
provided, however, that such security measures shall not be required for any point of
entry to or exit from such permanent buildings that routinely remains locked, is equipped
with an alarm that sounds when the point of entry or exit is accessed, and is not intended
for student use or is intended for student use only on an emergency basis.
(c) Each local board of education and other public school governing body shall be
authorized to use available grants and other funding to meet the requirements of this Code
section."
</ins> SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2028.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.