HB1080: HB1080 Georgia Public Safety Support Fund Act; enact

Georgia currently has no dedicated grant program specifically aimed at funneling private and public contributions to local law enforcement agencies and courts for equipment, staffing, and technology needs. This bill creates one, called the Georgia Public Safety Support Grant Program Act, housed within the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council under Chapter 6A of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The council would be authorized to accept voluntary gifts, grants, and donations from individuals, corporations, nonprofits, or foundations, and use that money (along with other funds) to help local police departments, sheriff's offices, and courts buy equipment and technology, hire and train staff, and improve coordination between agencies. The bill bars the council from making cash payments to individuals, funding lobbying or political activity, or forgiving debts. The council must set eligibility rules, monitor grants, and file an annual report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and House Speaker. The program is also subject to Georgia's open records law.

• Establishes a new public safety support grant program inside the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to fund local law enforcement agencies and courts.
• Allows the council to accept voluntary private and public donations, gifts, and grants, provided no donor gets special treatment.
• Permits grant funds to pay for equipment, technology, infrastructure, hiring, training, and data-sharing systems for police, sheriff's offices, and courts.
• Prohibits using grant money for direct cash payments to individuals, lobbying, political influence, or forgiving debts.
• Requires the council to set application and eligibility criteria and to submit an annual report on contributions, spending, and public benefits.
• Makes grant program records subject to public inspection under Georgia's open records law (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70).

County and city police departments, sheriff's offices, and Georgia's trial courts (including superior, juvenile, state, magistrate, probate, and municipal courts) could apply for grants. Private donors, corporations, nonprofits, and foundations could contribute funds, and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council would administer the program.

Local police departments and courts often face funding gaps for equipment, technology, and staffing. This bill would give the state a formal channel to accept private and public donations and direct them toward those needs, potentially expanding resources without replacing existing funding sources.

• Section 1 names the law the 'Georgia Public Safety Support Grant Program Act.'
• Section 2 states legislative findings that supporting law enforcement and courts is an essential governmental purpose.
• Section 3 adds new Code Section 35-6A-18, defining 'court,' 'grant program,' and 'local law enforcement agency,' and directing the council to establish the program.
• Section 3(b) lists authorized uses: equipment and infrastructure, hiring and training, interoperable data systems, and other activities providing direct public benefit.
• Section 3(c) allows the council to accept voluntary contributions from private sources, so long as no donor receives special privileges.
• Section 3(d) requires the council to set eligibility criteria, application procedures, and monitoring rules, and bars using funds for cash payments, lobbying, or debt forgiveness.
• Section 3(e) requires an annual report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and House Speaker on contributions, spending, and benefits.
• Section 3(f) makes the grant program subject to public records requests under Georgia's open records law.

1. 2026-02-19House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-02-02House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-29House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-01-28House Hopper (House)

• Yasmin Neal (D, HD-079)Primary sponsor
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)
• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)

• law enforcement funding
• court funding
• public safety grants
• Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
• police technology