Georgia immigration law was enacted

Among the legislation signed was House Bill 1105, the controversial immigration law that gained momentum after Laken Riley's death.

FORSYTH, Ga. – Gov. Brian Kemp signed a series of public safety bills into law on Wednesday, including the highly controversial Georgia Criminal Alien Track and Report Act.

At the Georgia Public Training Center in Forsyth, First Lady Marty Kemp and several other state leaders and local law enforcement accompanied the Peach State governor as he signed the bills.

Tuesday's bills included some highly controversial topics such as immigration law, with House Bill 1105 gaining traction following the death of Laken Riley near the University of Georgia campus.

In their case, 26-year-old Venezuelan native Jose Ibarra was arrested and charged with murder. During the investigation, authorities determined that Ibarra had entered the country illegally.

Here is a list of bills the governor signed:

House Bill 1105

The measure was seen as controversial as it made its way through the legislature. It requires police and sheriffs to identify undocumented immigrants who commit crimes and detain them for deportation by federal immigration authorities.

Republican Senator John Albers voted for the bill, saying it was about public safety and not immigration.

“For us, people don’t come afterwards and say it’s about immigration; This is about something different, this is about criminals who turn out to be illegal immigrants,” said Albers.

After signing the bills, Kemp spoke to news reporters about the immigration bill.

“People who thought sanctuary cities were a good idea. They are not. People must come into the country legally. We support legal immigration, but when there are people who come here illegally and commit crimes, multiple crimes, especially killing someone, then we're not going to tolerate that,” Kemp said.

Senate Bill 37

This bill would change the qualification requirements for a sheriff in the state of Georgia to require peace officer certification as a candidate.

According to the text of the law, prison guards would also have to receive the same certificate.

The measure also briefly mentioned a salary for sheriffs who work in more than one court. Those who qualify will receive a higher salary for working in both courts, but will not receive any cost increases.

Senate Bill 63

A new law, Senate Bill 63, requires cash bail for 30 additional crimes. The offenses of trespassing and bodily harm are also new.

Recently, several protesters who were arrested last week at an Emory University protest camp in support of Palestine were charged with trespassing.

Some of the protesters received more serious charges such as disorderly conduct, simple assault and others.

After officially signing the bill, Kemp made some comments about recent protests on college campuses in Georgia.

“The legal protesters that are out there can continue in this state. Just like we saw in 2020 with the riots, there are rules to follow, rules to protest on private campuses like Emory, but when people start.” “When we break the law and damage personal property “We will not allow people breaking the law to disrupt other students, people on campus, or other citizens,” Kemp added.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia has announced its opposition to the measure.

Senate Bill 159

This measure would increase penalties for those who offer contraband to inmates in prison or in person. Harsher penalties would also apply to those who work at the facility and provide the contraband.

Recently, eight Georgia Department of Corrections employees were arrested in connection with an investigation into a smuggling operation.

“Georgia will not tolerate those who endanger our communities by trafficking drugs, weapons and contraband in and out of our correctional facilities,” Kemp said previously when the arrests were announced.

The bill would also penalize those who use an unmanned aircraft to take photos of a detention center.

House Bill 1193

This bill would require certain vehicles, including tow trucks and other emergency vehicles, to have flashing or rotating yellow lights.

It would standardize the use of lights across all code sections.

House Bill 451

Kemp also signed a bill that would provide insurance coverage to help first responders deal with job-related treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

The bill is also known as the Ashley Wilson Act.

Gwinnett County Police Officer Ashley Wilson saw her partner, Officer Antwan Toney, shot in the line of duty in October 2018.

Since then, she has honored Officer Toney's legacy in memory of her fallen brother-in-law.

Officer Wilson advocated for first responders struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder as she struggled with stress from post-traumatic stress disorder in the days, weeks, months and years following Officer Toney's death.

The bill comes into force on January 1, 2025.

Senate Bill 421

Georgia is now increasing penalties for false reports of shootings and bomb threats on houses, so-called swatting.

“The whole purpose is to cause confusion and hope that someone gets hurt in some way,” Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones said in an earlier interview.

The legislation comes in response to the flood of swatting calls targeting Georgia elected officials back in December, including Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Senator Raphael Warnock and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

“It can put people in danger because authorities think they are in an emergency situation,” Jones also said of the calls.

Senate Bill 10

The state is also cracking down on drag racing. Governor Kemp gave the green light to the new law that makes knowingly participating in and promoting drag racing a misdemeanor and increases fines for illegal street racing.

Drag racing has often plagued the Atlanta metropolitan area, resulting in several arrests and even some deaths.

Earlier this month, two people died in a drag racing accident in Troup County. Police arrested a 45-year-old man in connection with the accident.

Just this week, several people were arrested at an unauthorized drag racing meet in Carroll County. According to authorities, about 500 cars were involved in the incident and over 1,000 people took part.

Fatal incidents involving drag racing have led several metro Atlanta city councils to consider city ordinances that would limit or increase the impact of drag racing.

House Bill 130

This bill would help full-time peace officers with their student loans. It states that the officer must have completed five years of service on or after January 1 and be a POST-certified state or local public employee.

According to the governor's office, the Georgia Student Finance Commission would repay up to $20,000.

This came after Governor Kemp signed a variety of bills supporting agriculture.

In the weeks prior, he also signed several bills helpful to Georgians, including health care, tax cuts and more.