---
title: SB 549. Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies; covered governmental entities from providing funding or resources in support of the operation of immigration detention centers; prohibit
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb549
cite_as: SB 549, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb549
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb549.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb549/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73514
date: 2026-02-24
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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previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb548.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb549.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 549
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-23
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Jaha Howard
- RaShaun Kemp
- Sally Harrell
- Kenya Wicks
- Tonya Anderson
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB549/2025
upstream_id: 2122690
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- immigration detention
- local government funding
- state agencies
- immigration enforcement
---
# SB 549. Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies; covered governmental entities from providing funding or resources in support of the operation of immigration detention centers; prohibit
## Text
Senate Bill 549
By: Senators Howard of the 35th, Kemp of the 38th, Harrell of the 40th, Wicks of the 34th
and Anderson of the 43rd
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 prohibit covered
governmental entities from providing funding or resources in support of the operation of
immigration detention centers; 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) 'Covered entity' means every:
(A) State department, agency, board, bureau, office, commission, public corporation,
authority, and political subdivision thereof;
(B) County, municipal corporation, local school district, and political subdivision
thereof of the State of Georgia; and
(C) City, county, regional, and other authority established pursuant to the laws of the
State of Georgia.
(2) 'Detainee' means a noncitizen who is held in an immigration detention center pending
immigration proceedings or removal from the United States under the authority of the
United States Department of Homeland Security or United States Immigration and
Customs Enforcement.
(3) 'Immigration detention center' means any facility located in this state that holds
detainees, including private facilities contracted by the federal government to hold such
detainees.
(b) No covered entity shall provide funding or resources in support of the operation of
immigration detention centers."
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 bar state and local government entities from providing funding or resources for the operation of immigration detention centers in Georgia.
### Plain-language summary
Immigration detention centers in Georgia, including private facilities under contract with federal immigration authorities, currently can receive support from state and local governments. This bill would add a new section to Georgia law barring what it calls 'covered entities', which includes state agencies, counties, cities, school districts, and other government authorities, from providing funding or resources to support the operation of these facilities.
The bill defines a detainee as a noncitizen held pending immigration proceedings or removal under federal Department of Homeland Security or Immigration and Customs Enforcement authority. It defines an immigration detention center as any in-state facility holding such detainees, including privately run ones under federal contract. The bill does not set penalties for violations or specify an enforcement mechanism, and it repeals any conflicting state laws.
### What it does
- Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. ยง 35-1-17.1) prohibiting covered government entities from funding or providing resources for immigration detention center operations.
- Defines 'covered entity' broadly to include state agencies, counties, cities, school districts, and other government authorities in Georgia.
- Defines 'detainee' as a noncitizen held in immigration detention pending federal immigration proceedings or removal.
- Defines 'immigration detention center' to include private facilities located in Georgia that are contracted by the federal government.
- Repeals any existing Georgia laws that conflict with this new prohibition.
### Who it affects
State agencies, counties, cities, school districts, and other Georgia government authorities that might otherwise fund or support immigration detention facilities, as well as private companies operating immigration detention centers under federal contract in Georgia.
### Why it matters
If enacted, Georgia state and local governments would no longer be able to direct funding or resources toward immigration detention centers, potentially affecting how privately run facilities that hold federal immigration detainees operate or are supported within the state.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 creates new Code section 35-1-17.1 within Chapter 1 of Title 35, which covers general law enforcement provisions.
- Subsection (a) defines three key terms: 'covered entity', 'detainee', and 'immigration detention center'.
- Subsection (b) states the core prohibition: no covered entity may provide funding or resources supporting immigration detention center operations.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting Georgia laws but does not create a specific penalty or enforcement process for violations.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-23)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-02-24)
- Sponsors: Jaha Howard, RaShaun Kemp, Sally Harrell, Kenya Wicks, Tonya Anderson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73514
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb549.md?full=1