---
title: SB 483. Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies; covered immigration officers to wear body cameras during public immigration enforcement functions; require
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb483
cite_as: SB 483, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb483
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb483.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb483/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73031
date: 2026-02-10
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: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb483.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 483
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-09
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Elena Parent
- Randal Mangham
- Harold Jones
- Kim Jackson
- Nikki Merritt
- Nan Orrock
- Sonya Halpern
- Jaha Howard
- RaShaun Kemp
- Kenya Wicks
- Josh McLaurin
- Sally Harrell
- Nabilah Islam Parkes
- Derek Mallow
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB483/2025
upstream_id: 2112273
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- immigration enforcement
- body cameras
- ICE
- law enforcement transparency
- police accountability
---
# SB 483. Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies; covered immigration officers to wear body cameras during public immigration enforcement functions; require
## Text
Senate Bill 483
By: Senators Parent of the 44th, Mangham of the 55th, Jones II of the 22nd, Jackson of the
41st, Merritt of the 9th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 1 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions regarding law enforcement officers and agencies, so as to require covered
immigration officers to wear body cameras during public immigration enforcement
functions; 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 1 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general
provisions regarding law enforcement officers and agencies, is amended by adding a new
Code section to read as follows:
"35-1-17.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Body camera' means a wearable device designed to be attached to the body of an
individual and which is capable of documenting and recording activities from the point
of view in front of or in the line of sight of the individual wearing such device.
(2) 'Covered immigration officer' means an individual who is authorized to perform
immigration enforcement functions and who is an officer or employee of United States
Immigration and Custom Enforcement.
(3) 'Public immigration enforcement function' means any activity that involves the direct
exercise of federal immigration authority through public-facing operations, including, but
not limited to, patrol, stops, arrests, searches, interviews to determine immigration status,
raids, checkpoint inspections, and service of judicial or administrative warrants.
(b) A covered immigration officer who directly engages in a public immigration
enforcement function within this state shall wear a body camera that is fully operational
and activated to record audio and video at all times during such function."
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 Georgia Senate bill would require federal immigration enforcement officers, specifically ICE agents, to wear activated body cameras while carrying out public enforcement actions inside Georgia.
### Plain-language summary
Currently Georgia law does not require federal immigration officers to wear body cameras while doing their jobs in the state. This bill would add a new section to Georgia's law enforcement code (O.C.G.A. Title 35, Chapter 1) creating that requirement for what it calls 'covered immigration officers,' defined as officers or employees of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who are authorized to carry out immigration enforcement.
The bill defines a 'public immigration enforcement function' broadly to include patrols, stops, arrests, searches, status interviews, raids, checkpoint inspections, and serving warrants. Any covered officer engaged in these activities within Georgia would have to wear a body camera that is fully operational and actively recording both audio and video the entire time. The bill does not specify penalties for noncompliance or an enforcement mechanism.
### What it does
- Adds a new Georgia Code section (O.C.G.A. ยง 35-1-17.1) requiring covered immigration officers to wear body cameras during public immigration enforcement.
- Defines 'body camera' as a wearable device that records activities from the point of view of the person wearing it.
- Defines 'covered immigration officer' as an ICE officer or employee authorized to perform immigration enforcement.
- Defines 'public immigration enforcement function' to include patrols, stops, arrests, searches, status interviews, raids, checkpoints, and warrant service.
- Requires the body camera to be fully operational and recording both audio and video at all times during covered enforcement activity in Georgia.
### Who it affects
The bill directly affects officers and employees of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operating in Georgia, and by extension the people they encounter during patrols, stops, arrests, searches, raids, checkpoints, or warrant service.
### Why it matters
If enacted, ICE officers doing public enforcement work in Georgia, like stops, raids, or searches, would be required to record those encounters on video and audio. This would create a documented record of interactions between federal immigration agents and the public in the state.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code section 35-1-17.1 to Chapter 1 of Title 35, which covers general provisions for law enforcement officers and agencies.
- Subsection (a)(1) defines a body camera as a wearable device that records from the wearer's point of view.
- Subsection (a)(2) limits the requirement to officers or employees of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement performing immigration enforcement.
- Subsection (a)(3) lists activities counted as public immigration enforcement functions, including patrols, arrests, raids, checkpoints, and warrant service.
- Subsection (b) is the operative requirement: covered officers must wear a body camera that is operational and recording audio and video throughout the enforcement activity.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting Georgia laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-09)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-02-10)
- Sponsors: Elena Parent, Randal Mangham, Harold Jones, Kim Jackson, Nikki Merritt, Nan Orrock, Sonya Halpern, Jaha Howard, RaShaun Kemp, Kenya Wicks, Josh McLaurin, Sally Harrell, Nabilah Islam Parkes, Derek Mallow
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73031
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb483.md?full=1