HB 125: Crimes and offenses; online menacing of a peace officer; provide for offense

Georgia law does not currently have a specific crime targeting people who post police officers' personal details online alongside threats. This bill adds a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 16-10-97.1, that creates the offense of online menacing of a peace officer. The crime applies when someone intentionally posts, publishes, or makes public in any online setting a peace officer's personal information, such as their home address, phone number, email, social security number, or photo, or the same information about an immediate family member, together with a threat or suggestion of physical injury or violence. A conviction is a felony carrying one to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $25,000, or both, and judges may issue a permanent restraining order to protect the officer and family. The case can be prosecuted in any county tied to the offense, even if the defendant was never physically there. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it, or if it becomes law without a signature, and would apply to offenses committed on or after that date.

• Creates a new felony offense called online menacing of a peace officer under a new Georgia Code section, O.C.G.A. § 16-10-97.1.
• Defines the crime as publicly posting a peace officer's or their immediate family member's personal information online paired with a threat or suggestion of violence.
• Defines 'personal information' to include names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, social security numbers, and photographs of the officer or family members.
• Sets the penalty at one to ten years in prison, a fine up to $25,000, or both, plus authority for judges to issue a permanent restraining order at sentencing.
• Allows prosecution in any county connected to the offense, including where the officer resides, regardless of where the defendant was located.
• Makes the law effective immediately upon the Governor's signature or becoming law without signature, applying only to offenses committed afterward.

Peace officers and their immediate family members, who gain new legal protection against having personal information posted online with threats; people who post such information online, who could face new felony charges; and Georgia prosecutors and courts, which would enforce the new offense.

If enacted, anyone who publicly posts a police officer's address, phone number, photo, or similar details online along with a threat of violence could face a felony conviction and years in prison, a significant new legal risk that does not currently exist under this specific offense in Georgia law.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 16-10-97.1 defining 'immediate family member,' 'peace officer' (by reference to O.C.G.A. § 35-8-2), and 'personal information.'
• Subsection (b) defines the offense: intentionally posting a peace officer's or family member's personal information online along with a threat or suggestion of violence.
• Subsection (c) sets the penalty as a felony with one to ten years imprisonment, a fine up to $25,000, or both, and allows a permanent restraining order at sentencing.
• Subsection (d) sets venue rules, allowing prosecution in any county tied to the offense regardless of the defendant's physical presence there.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as approval by the Governor or becoming law without approval, applying to offenses committed on or after that date.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-01-29House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-01-28House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-01-27House Hopper (House)

• Mike Cameron (R, HD-001)Primary sponsor
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)

• police protection
• online threats
• criminal penalties
• doxxing
• law enforcement safety