House Bill 621
By: Representatives Baker of the 64th, Henderson of the 113th, Cummings of the 39th, Glaize
of the 67th, McClain of the 109th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to general provisions regarding the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, so as to provide
for members of the General Assembly to request assistance from the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation; 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 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions regarding the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, is amended by revising
Code Section 35-3-8.1, relating to power of bureau to assist other law enforcement agencies
and jurisdiction in terrorism cases, as follows:
"35-3-8.1.
(a) Upon request of <ins>a member of the General Assembly,</ins> the governing authority or chief
law enforcement officer of any municipality, the sheriff of any county, the chief of the
county police force of any county having a population of more than 100,000 according to
the United States decennial census of 1970 or any future such census, a judge of the
superior court of any county of this state, or the Governor, the director, in unusual
circumstances, may, and in the case of a request by the Governor, shall, direct the bureau
to render assistance in any criminal case, in the prevention or detection of violations of law,
or in the detection or apprehension of persons violating the criminal laws of this state, any
other state, or the United States.
(b) The bureau shall be authorized to work independently, work concurrently with other
law enforcement agencies, and request the assistance of other law enforcement agencies
when, in the sole discretion of the director, such independent work, concurrent work, or
request for assistance would not compromise the successful completion of cases involving
the identification, investigation, arrest, and prosecution of an individual or groups of
individuals for violation of laws concerning domestic, cyber, biological, chemical, and
nuclear terrorism."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.