HB 967: Criminal Justice Coordinating Council; provide financial assistance to law enforcement agencies to equip certain motor vehicles with bullet-resistant features; establish grant program

Currently, Georgia law does not set up a dedicated state grant program for outfitting police vehicles with bullet-resistant features. This bill adds a new section to the law governing the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (O.C.G.A. § 35-6A-18) authorizing the council to create such a program. Under the bill, the council could award grants to law enforcement agencies to purchase and install bullet-resistant windshields, side windows, rear windows, and door panels on vehicles used by peace officers on duty. Funding would depend on the General Assembly actually appropriating money for it. The council would have to set up rules covering who can apply, how to apply, how much grants can be, and how applications are reviewed and monitored. Agencies that receive grant money would have to show the council proof of purchase and installation once they spend the funds.

• Creates a new state grant program letting the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council fund bullet-resistant upgrades to police vehicles.
• Limits eligible upgrades to bullet-resistant windshields, side windows, rear windows, and door panels installed on vehicles used by peace officers.
• Requires the council to establish eligibility criteria, application procedures, grant amount guidelines, evaluation procedures, and compliance monitoring.
• Requires grant recipients to submit proof of purchase and installation to the council after spending the funds.
• Makes the whole program dependent on the General Assembly separately appropriating money for it, meaning the program could exist in law without receiving funding.

Local law enforcement agencies across Georgia and the peace officers who drive patrol vehicles would be eligible to apply for and benefit from the grants. The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council would take on new administrative duties to run the program.

If funded, the program could give police departments a new state funding source to armor patrol cars, potentially improving officer protection during shootings or ambushes. But because funding depends on future budget appropriations, the practical effect hinges on whether lawmakers actually allocate money to it.

• Adds new Code Section 35-6A-18 to Chapter 6A of Title 35, governing the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
• Subsection (a) defines 'peace officer' by reference to the existing definition in O.C.G.A. § 35-8-2.
• Subsection (b) authorizes the council to create the grant program, explicitly conditioned on funding through General Assembly appropriations.
• Subsection (c) requires the council to set eligibility criteria, application procedures, grant amount guidelines, evaluation procedures, and monitoring rules.
• Subsection (d) requires grant recipients to provide proof of purchase and installation to the council after spending grant funds.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-03-04House Passed/Adopted (House)
3. 2026-03-04House Third Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-12House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
5. 2026-01-16House Second Readers (House)
6. 2026-01-15House First Readers (House)
7. 2026-01-14House Hopper (House)

• Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)Primary sponsor
• Jason Ridley (R, HD-006)
• Mitchell Horner (R, HD-003)
• Tim Fleming (R, HD-114)
• Johnny Chastain (R, HD-007)
• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 4, 2026

   155 yea, 1 nay (9 not voting, 12 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #631

• police funding
• law enforcement equipment
• public safety grants
• vehicle safety
• Criminal Justice Coordinating Council