HB1436: HB1436 Georgia Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act; enact

Currently, Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 17-6-12 allows judges to release some defendants on an unsecured judicial release, meaning the person promises to pay a set amount only if they violate release conditions, without putting up cash or property up front. This bill, called the 'Georgia Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act,' targets local governments that allow this option for people charged with certain serious offenses. Starting with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027, no state agency or state government office could award, renew, or extend any grant or funds to a local government if that local government has a law, policy, or standing order allowing unsecured judicial release as a possible condition for someone charged with a 'covered offense.' Covered offenses include those listed in O.C.G.A. § 17-6-12(a), which the bill defines broadly as crimes posing a clear threat to public safety and order. The bill repeals conflicting laws.

• Creates a new Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 17-6-19) titled the 'Georgia Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act.'
• Defines 'covered offense' as any offense listed under O.C.G.A. § 17-6-12(a), described as crimes posing a clear threat to public safety and order.
• Bars state agencies from awarding, renewing, or extending grants or funds to any local government that allows unsecured judicial release as a bail condition for people charged with covered offenses.
• Sets the funding cutoff to begin with the fiscal year starting July 1, 2027, and to continue in every fiscal year after that.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with this new funding restriction.

City and county governments and their courts, which could lose state grants if their bail policies allow unsecured judicial release for certain charges; state agencies that distribute grant funding; and defendants charged with offenses listed in O.C.G.A. § 17-6-12, whose local bail options could be affected by this funding pressure.

Local governments that currently let judges use unsecured release, where a defendant does not have to pay cash up front, for serious charges would need to change that policy or risk losing state grant funding starting in mid-2027, which could push local courts toward requiring cash bail more often.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 17-6-19 to Georgia's bond and recognizance laws (Title 17, Chapter 6, Article 1).
• Subsection (a) names the law the 'Georgia Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act.'
• Subsection (b) defines 'covered offense' as any offense under O.C.G.A. § 17-6-12(a), described as posing a clear threat to public safety and order.
• Subsection (c) prohibits state agencies from awarding, renewing, or extending grants or funds to local governments that allow unsecured judicial release for covered offenses, effective for fiscal years starting July 1, 2027.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-03House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-02-26House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-25House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-24House Hopper (House)

• Houston Gaines (R, HD-120)Primary sponsor
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)
• Trey Rhodes (R, HD-124)
• Lauren McDonald (R, HD-026)

• bail reform
• criminal justice
• state funding to local governments
• public safety
• cash bail