The Senate Committee on Judiciary offered the following
substitute to HB 1061:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
Juvenile Code, so as to enact the "Mandi Ballinger Act"; to provide for an organizational
committee; to provide for the powers, composition, and appointment of such committee; to
provide for automatic repeal; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and
for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Juvenile
Code, is amended in Article 1, relating to general provisions, by adding a new Code section
to read as follows:
<ins>"15-11-42.
(a) This Code section shall be known and may be cited as the 'Mandi Ballinger Act.'
(b) There shall be an organizational committee that shall consist of 15 members as follows:
(1) The chairperson of the House Committee on Judiciary Juvenile;
(2) The chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee;
(3) The commissioner of juvenile justice or his or her designee;
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<ins>(4) The president of the Georgia Sheriffs' Association or his or her designee;
(5) Two sheriffs, one of whom shall be appointed by the chairperson of the House
Committee on Judiciary Juvenile and the other shall be appointed by the chairperson of
the Senate Judiciary Committee;
(6) The executive director of the Administrative Office of the Courts or his or her
designee;
(7) The executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia
or his or her designee;
(8) The director of the Georgia Public Defender Council or his or her designee;
(9) The executive director of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers or
his or her designee;
(10) The executive director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council or his or her
designee;
(11) The director of the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget or his or her designee;
(12) The president of the Council of Juvenile Court Judges or his or her designee;
(13) The executive director of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia or his
or her designee; and
(14) The president of the Georgia Council of Court Administrators or his or her designee.
The chairperson of the House Committee on Judiciary Juvenile and the chairperson of the
Senate Judiciary Committee shall serve as cochairpersons of the committee. The
committee shall meet upon the call of the cochairpersons.
(c) The committee may confer with any appropriate subject matter experts, state agencies,
and advisory members to the committees as selected by the cochairpersons, including the
president of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the executive director of the
Georgia Public Safety Training Center, attorneys who regularly practice in the juvenile
courts, and advocates for children and youth, on matters relating to implementing raising
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<ins>the juvenile age, including equipment, security, and technological aspects in connection to
raising the age of juvenile offenders regarding:
(1) Standards and practices of other jurisdictions;
(2) The most recent standards promulgated by national standard-setting bodies; and
(3) The views of interested persons, government officials, and entities.
(d) The committee shall commence no later than September 15, 2026, and shall stand
abolished on December 31, 2027.
(e) The committee shall provide a detailed written report including all the necessary
operational and statutory changes required to include 17 year-old children in the juvenile
justice system, including cost estimates for capital outlay, operating expenses, and staffing
needs, for each part of the implementation plan. The report shall also include the estimated
time required for such proposed implementation as well as any other data, reports,
statistical information, and other facts and figures necessary for the successful
implementation of such policy. Such report shall be provided to the Governor, the
Lieutenant Governor, and the members of the General Assembly not later than
December 1, 2027.
(f) This Code section shall stand repealed in its entirety on January 1, 2028."
</ins> SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.