Legislative Report #6 of the 2006 Session of the Georgia General Assembly

There are only seven legislative days left (although there has been some talk that the Session may actually end by the 38th day). 

Regarding the budget, the Conference Committee Report on the FY06 Supplemental Budget was adopted by both the Senate and the House.  The FY07 General Budget is now being considered by the Senate.  The Senate Appropriations Criminal Justice Subcommittee passed out the FY07 budget with no further cuts to the Standards Council’s budget request.  The full Senate Appropriations Committee will vote on this budget on Monday (3/20).   

SB 503 (technical and substantive changes to the Indigent Defense Act), SR 793 (Removal of a Circuit Public Defender for Cause), SR 954 (Criminal Representation Performance Standard), and SR 955 (Juvenile Representation Performance Standard) passed out of the Senate unanimously.  However, a floor amendment was added to SB 503 which prohibits the public defenders from having badges or shields that resemble law enforcement badges.  These bills are now in the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee chaired by Rep. David Ralston.  Chairman Ralston has appointed a special subcommittee to hear these bills.  The subcommittee members are as follows:

Rep. Tim Bearden (Douglas County, District 68)
Rep. Charlice Byrd (Cherokee County, District 20)
Rep. Sharon Cooper (Cobb County, District 41)
Rep. Melvin Everson (Gwinnett County, District 106)
Rep. Mike Jacobs (DeKalb County, District 80)                                  
Rep. Nikki Randall (Bibb County, District 138)

This subcommittee will have a hearing on these bills on March 21st at 9:00 AM.

HB 391 which authorizes the circuit public defenders to enter the Judicial Retirement System is still in the House Rules Committee, chaired by Rep. Earl Ehrhart (Cobb County).  Because this bill did not cross over by the 30th legislative day, it is no longer active. 

SR 1027 which provides for  the creation of a study committee to look at court surcharges passed the Senate.

New criminal justice bills that have been introduced since the last legislative report are as follows:

House Bills

HB 1543: This bill provides for increased penalties if assault or aggravated assault is committed against a prosecutor.

HB 1552: This bill would authorize the courts to impose the death penalty without a unanimous vote by the jury.

HB 1563: This bill provides that a person found not guilty after a criminal trial shall be entitled to have the record of his/her arrest expunged.

Senate Bills

SB 665: This bill provides for the offense of criminal neglect of an adult when such caregiver fails to perform his or her care giving duties and such failure causes the elder person or vulnerable adult to suffer bodily harm.