Georgia General Assembly · Full text

SB 286: Courts and Penal Institutions; substance abuse programs and mental health treatment programs in county and municipal jails for inmates; provide

Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action February 27, 2025 · Introduced

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Senate Bill 286

By: Senator James of the 28th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

To amend Titles 15 and 42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to courts and penal institutions respectively, so as to provide for substance abuse programs and mental health treatment programs in county and municipal jails for inmates and applicants to such programs; to provide for drug court divisions and mental health court divisions to establish procedures for voluntary admission into such programs; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to courts, is amended by adding new Code sections to Chapter 1, relating to general provisions, to read as follows:

"15-1-15.1.

(a) Drug court divisions shall create petitions and establish procedures for inmates and applicants to voluntarily enter into substance abuse programs in county and municipal jails created pursuant to Code Section 42-4-52.

(b) Upon acceptance of such petition, a drug court division shall order the petitioner to participate in the substance abuse program created pursuant to Code Section 42-4-52. The successful completion of the program shall be determined pursuant to the criteria established in Code Section 15-1-15."

"15-1-16.1.

(a) Mental health court divisions shall create petitions and establish procedures for inmates and applicants to voluntarily enter into mental health treatment programs in county and municipal jails created pursuant to Code Section 42-4-52.

(b) Upon acceptance of such petition, a mental health court division shall order the petitioner to participate in the mental health treatment program created pursuant to Code Section 42-4-52. The successful completion of the program shall be determined pursuant to the criteria established in Code Section 15-1-16."

SECTION 2.

Title 42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to penal institutions, is amended by adding a new Code section to Article 3 of Chapter 4, relating to medical services for inmates, to read as follows:

"42-4-52.

(a) County and municipal jails may establish substance abuse programs and mental health treatment programs for inmates and applicants from drug court divisions and mental health court divisions to voluntarily enter into such programs pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Department of Corrections.

(b) The Department of Corrections shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to establish substance abuse programs and mental health treatment programs in the county and municipal jails that opt into such programs and shall establish minimum standards for such programs."

SECTION 3.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.