Kemp signs illegal immigration law
Governor Brian Kemp signed several public safety bills on Wednesday, including controversial illegal immigration laws and new laws targeting people convicted of swatting and drive-by shootings.
ATLANTA – Governor Brian Kemp had high praise for Georgia's law enforcement and security officials during the bill-signing ceremony on Wednesday.
Kemp signed ten public safety bills, including one of the most controversial, House Bill 1105.
Georgia's new immigration law
HB 1105 requires local prison guards to check the immigration status of inmates and cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Republican lawmakers have pushed for stricter immigration laws following the murder of Laken Riley. Authorities believe the man who allegedly killed the nursing student on the University of Georgia campus last month was in the country illegally.
Local law enforcement agencies that fail to comply risk losing government funds and could also be charged with a misdemeanor.
The governor also signed a bill increasing the number of serious crimes for which bail is required, despite objections from critics who call it a setback for years of criminal justice reforms.
Governor signs law against prison contraband
Lawmakers also addressed the ongoing problem of smuggling illegal contraband into the state's prisons and detention centers.
SB 159 increases penalties for inmates caught using cell phones and other wireless communications devices.
And today it is a crime for correctional officers and contractors to supply inmates with tobacco, drugs, weapons, cell phones and other illegal goods.
A new law against drag racing provides for higher penalties for organizers and participants, and those convicted of drive-by shootings can now expect harsher penalties.
Governor Kemp also signed a law that increases the penalty for swatting.
