---
title: HB 675. Crimes and offenses; criminal offenses related to material support of terrorism; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb675
cite_as: HB 675, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb675
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb675.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb675/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70976
date: 2026-02-18
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 319
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb675.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 675
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-27
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
sponsors:
- Brent Cox
- Lauren McDonald
- Esther Panitch
- Bill Hitchens
- Rick Jasperse
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB675/2025
upstream_id: 1987887
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- terrorism law
- criminal penalties
- Georgia criminal code
- material support
- public safety
---
# HB 675. Crimes and offenses; criminal offenses related to material support of terrorism; provide
## Text
The House Committee on Judiciary, Non- Civil offers the following substitute to HB 675:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
offenses against public order and safety, so as to provide for criminal offenses related to
material support of terrorism; to provide for penalties; to provide for legislative intent; to
provide for the creation of guidelines for law enforcement investigations; to provide for
definitions; 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 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to offenses against
public order and safety, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:
"ARTICLE 7
16-11-230.
(a) As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Act of terrorism' means an activity that:
(A) Involves violent acts that are dangerous to human life and are a felony violation
of the criminal laws of the United States or the State of Georgia; and
(B) Is intended to:
(i) Intimidate, injure, or coerce a civilian population;
(ii) Influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii) Affect the conduct of government through mass destruction, assassination, or
kidnapping.
(2) 'Designated foreign terrorist organization' means an organization designated as a
terrorist organization under 8 U.S.C. Section 1189, and under executive order 14157 as
of March 6, 2025.
(3) 'Expert advice or assistance' means advice or assistance derived from scientific,
technical, or other specialized knowledge.
(4) 'Material support or resources' means any property, tangible or intangible, or service,
including currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services,
lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safe houses, false documentation or
identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances,
explosives, personnel, or transportation, except for medicine or religious materials.
(5) 'Training' means instruction or teaching designed to impart a specific skill rather than
general knowledge.
(b) A person commits a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or
a fine of not more than $100,000.00, or both, if the person:
(1) Provides material support or resources or conceals or disguises the nature, location,
source, or ownership of the material support or resources, knowing and intending that the
support or resources are to be used in preparation for or in carrying out an act of
terrorism;
(2) Conceals an escape from the commission of a violation of paragraph (1) of this
subsection; or
(3) Attempts or conspires to commit a violation of paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(c) A person who knowingly and intentionally provides material support or resources to
a designated foreign terrorist organization, or attempts or conspires to do so, commits a
felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than
$100,000.00, or both. To violate this subsection, a person shall have knowledge that the
organization is a designated foreign terrorist organization or that the organization has
engaged in or engages in acts of terrorism.
(d)(1) For purposes of prosecution under subsection (b) or (c) of this Code section, a
person is deemed to provide material support or resources by providing personnel if the
person knowingly provides, attempts to provide, or conspires to provide himself or
herself or another person to:
(A) Work under the direction and control of a designated foreign terrorist organization
or a person engaged in, or intending to engage in, an act of terrorism; or
(B) Organize, manage, supervise, or otherwise direct the operations of a designated
foreign terrorist organization or a person engaged in, or intending to engage in, an act
of terrorism.
(2) An individual who acts entirely independently of the designated foreign terrorist
organization or the person engaged in, or intending to engage in, an act of terrorism to
advance the organization's or person's goals or objectives is not working under the
direction and control of the designated foreign terrorist organization or person engaged
in, or intending to engage in, an act of terrorism.
(e) A person shall not be prosecuted under this article if his or her activity was authorized
by a governmental or law enforcement agency of this state or of the United States in the
agency's official capacity and pursuant to a lawful purpose or if the activity is that of an
attorney who is authorized to practice law and is providing legal services to an individual
who is accused of a violation of a criminal law of the United States or of any state.
(f) It is the intent of the General Assembly that subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section
be interpreted in a manner consistent with federal case law interpreting 18 U.S.C.
Sections 2339A and 2339B, and under executive order 14157 as of March 6, 2025."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A House bill would create a new Georgia crime for providing material support to terrorism or to foreign terrorist organizations, with penalties up to 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law does not currently have a state-level crime specifically targeting material support for terrorism, though federal law does. This bill would add a new article to Georgia's criminal code making it a felony to knowingly provide money, training, weapons, safe houses, false documents, personnel, or other resources (except medicine or religious materials) to someone planning an act of terrorism, or to a foreign group the federal government has designated as a terrorist organization.
The bill defines key terms like 'act of terrorism,' 'material support or resources,' and 'designated foreign terrorist organization,' the last of which relies on federal designations under 8 U.S.C. Section 1189 and a 2025 executive order. It also covers attempts, conspiracies, and helping someone escape after committing the offense. People acting under lawful government authorization or attorneys providing legal defense services are exempted. The General Assembly states its intent that courts interpret these provisions consistent with existing federal terrorism-support law.
### What it does
- Creates a new Georgia felony for knowingly providing material support or resources used to prepare for or carry out an act of terrorism, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
- Creates a separate felony for knowingly providing material support to a foreign group designated as a terrorist organization by the federal government, with the same penalty range.
- Criminalizes attempting or conspiring to commit either offense, and criminalizes helping someone conceal an escape after committing the material support offense.
- Defines 'material support or resources' broadly to include money, training, weapons, explosives, safe houses, false documents, and personnel, but excludes medicine and religious materials.
- Exempts people acting under lawful government or law enforcement authorization and attorneys providing legal defense services from prosecution under this article.
- States that Georgia courts should interpret these new provisions consistent with federal case law on similar federal terrorism-support statutes.
### Who it affects
Anyone in Georgia who provides money, training, equipment, shelter, false documents, or personnel to a person planning terrorism or to a federally designated foreign terrorist organization; this could include private individuals, employees, and volunteers, while attorneys providing legal defense and authorized government agents are exempted.
### Why it matters
The bill would give Georgia prosecutors state-level authority to charge material support for terrorism as a felony carrying up to 20 years in prison, separate from existing federal terrorism laws, potentially allowing state and local law enforcement to pursue such cases without relying solely on federal prosecution.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds Article 7 to Chapter 11 of Title 16, defining 'act of terrorism,' 'designated foreign terrorist organization,' 'material support or resources,' 'expert advice or assistance,' and 'training' (O.C.G.A. ยง 16-11-230(a)).
- Subsection (b) makes it a felony, punishable by up to 20 years and a $100,000 fine, to knowingly provide material support intended for use in an act of terrorism, or to conceal an escape or attempt/conspire to do so.
- Subsection (c) makes it a felony with the same penalties to knowingly provide material support to a group designated by the federal government as a foreign terrorist organization.
- Subsection (d) clarifies when providing 'personnel' counts as material support, based on working under the direction and control of a terrorist organization or individual.
- Subsection (e) exempts activity authorized by a government or law enforcement agency for a lawful purpose, and exempts attorneys providing legal defense services.
- Subsection (f) states legislative intent that the new offenses be interpreted consistent with federal case law under 18 U.S.C. Sections 2339A and 2339B.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-27)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (2026-02-18)
- Sponsors: Brent Cox, Lauren McDonald, Esther Panitch, Bill Hitchens, Rick Jasperse
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70976
> The history, votes, and amendments (319 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb675.md?full=1