[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6341640,"mediaKeyId","2256690-f7bfdefd535a30e7722d1d4a0fd87e9b","parentId",2256690,"title","Committee holds hearing on school-zone speed cameras; debate centers on hours, signage and revenue","audioSeconds",2011,"startMs",2723000,"endMs",4734000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2256690-f7bfdefd535a30e7722d1d4a0fd87e9b&start=2723&end=4734","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2256690-f7bfdefd535a30e7722d1d4a0fd87e9b/thumbnail_2723000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6341640/Georgia/Committee-holds-hearing-on-school-zone-speed-cameras-debate-centers-on-hours-signage-and-revenue","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6341640-393fa5dc06811f3ea99c2f211b854f17/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140149&Signature=gGOJmgwnkhnKpGiJtYIdswJ0djNL-1USalvhM-pjMikRZ7pZ4qFes6Ihh6smsii2Q-NPu02ZnnCN8HZDnAFjsBW2VSBGBRM6S7B4vDKCCbqBVqpmabOhl3JsVKlv~cPsQtu-KFPRYTU3ILqbNBDohl9his7vSga1YLYixsvfsaox2OwNjWXMukbsmR81NLaIkAKrDbq5s6YjoPkKWbdx7~qmGaQwW3o8rGdgzRUqyVB2XERJ789FGdhBPFcbRNMclXJgm0aah5e~pw3XN-1d5s1YmdJlkSQyBQHOV3sN6E9M1Ic3eDbbXV3UD3zDE-hMQFNi7Xj3TLapD3B~oWpUSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","GA Senate State Legislature ","date","2025-02-10T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Public Safety Committee took testimony on Senate Bill 75, a hearing-only measure proposing statewide guardrails for automated speed-detection devices in school zones, and heard divergent views on operational hours, signage and the use of revenue.

Senator Burns, who presented the bill, said the substitute (LC 394505) would limit automated enforcement to defined two-hour blocks at the start and end of the school day and standardize warning signage so motorists have notice. \"This bill puts, limited guardrails around the use of speed zone detection devices in a school zone,\" Burns said, describing requirements for warning signs at a half-mile and a speed indicator at a quarter-mile so drivers can adjust speed before entering the zone.

Testimony was split. Dr. Ashley Rose Toomer, executive director of Give School Kids a Break and a former principal, urged broader coverage and said cameras should run \"before, during, and after the school day\" because children and staff are exposed to danger throughout daily activities such as field trips and staggered school schedules. \"Students and teachers and students deserve to be safe before, during, and after the school day,\" Toomer said.

Bob Dallas, former director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety and a representative of a camera company, urged consistent signage and said automated enforcement yields high compliance rates where deployed, with the result that ticket revenue typically declines over time because speeds fall. By contrast, Ray of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute testified in opposition, arguing that automated enforcement is reactive and can be regressive; he recommended using generated revenue for road redesign and traffic-calming measures rather than as a continuing revenue stream.

Committee members pressed for details about costs, local control and vendor revenue shares. Sponsors and members noted these devices are typically a local responsibility and that automated citations are triggered only when a motorist exceeds the posted limit by 10 mph; certified officers retain discretion to cite lower speeds when present. Witnesses agreed additional, standardized signage and speed-feedback signs can improve compliance, but they differed on whether cameras should be active all day, whether revenue-sharing with private vendors should be permitted, and whether generated funds should be earmarked for safety improvements.

Senator Burns said the committee would work offline to address concerns, noting the panel will not meet Wednesday because of appropriations subcommittee scheduling and will reconvene Monday at 1 p.m.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","02/10/2025 Senate Committee on Public Safety","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 75, a hearing-only proposal that would set statewide standards for automated school-zone speed-detection devices, drew split testimony on whether cameras should run only at arrival/dismissal or throughout the school day, and whether revenue should be directed to safety improvements rather than vendor shares.","taxTitle","Public Safety, SENATE, Committees, Legislative, Georgia","taxId",17675,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6341645,"Committee approves amended ban on cockfighting; removes employment carve-out",768,1981000,2749000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2256690-f7bfdefd535a30e7722d1d4a0fd87e9b&start=1981&end=2749","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2256690-f7bfdefd535a30e7722d1d4a0fd87e9b/thumbnail_1981000.jpg","/articles/6341645/Georgia/Committee-approves-amended-ban-on-cockfighting-removes-employment-carve-out","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6341645-4457e33b64336033da8942844d9110bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140149&Signature=boAygBY~cYhC~28IEYVofiofPNgyd-8z2erYuS3bTYCoKqWtLlfOUxz-jy7qH1VVyg-QZ-XVezBqcoFITR8~GoE-xqwb98wwcxL5FNd82NxV0XBaFc0bbreskWYt5bkFKEAZviHAknCpE38Z3PuAf5sDU7hFiswTDhQNG6v5zt~sLfb9oX1mnSBF081Cwn7iMJ-kj0-kfkTkZPK7Ei14yuHSFP6NMVPv070xluXCJtQ6ugllpGQne09qfCS37hdB-D7EWBsXFL-DwvrajDOctGgxW-12OBU8WIV8EnbfJ6~lK-7607QZ6XyIcU7tDQizocLhpRXKsScQNRIrqaQukg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Public Safety Committee voted to approve a committee substitute for Senate Bill 102, a measure to prohibit cockfighting in Georgia.

Sponsor Senator Robertson told the committee that Georgia is one of the few states without an explicit statutory prohibition and that the bill is intended to give state and local law enforcement the authority to address the activity without relying on federal prosecutions. \"It prohibits cockfighting in, in the state of Georgia,\" Robertson said.

Jessica Rock, the state animal-crimes prosecutor with the Prosecuting Attorney's Council, testified that she has prosecuted related cases on the federal level and has seen cockfighting tied to \"children, ... drug trafficking, [and] gun trafficking,\" and she urged language changes in the draft. Rock recommended removing a provision (lines 47-49 in the draft) that created a temporary employment carve-out which she said could lead to unintended judicial interpretations allowing convicted offenders to work in settings such as animal shelters.

Senator Robertson offered an amendment to place a period after the word \"based\" on the identified line and strike the remainder through the employment carve-out; the motion received a second from Senator Williams. The committee approved the amendment by voice vote and then approved the amended committee substitute by voice vote. Committee members discussed that the employment language had been a prior compromise with agriculture interests.

Committee testimony included law-enforcement and prosecutor accounts of criminal enterprises linked to cockfighting and concerns about children being present at some events. The committee moved the amended substitute forward to the rules committee for additional work.

","Senate Bill 102, which would prohibit cockfighting in Georgia, passed the committee after sponsors removed language that would have carved out certain employment protections; prosecutors and law-enforcement witnesses described links between cockfighting and other criminal activity.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6341649,"Committee clarifies definition of \"law enforcement officer\" to allow federal assistance during emergencies",392,1629000,2021000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2256690-f7bfdefd535a30e7722d1d4a0fd87e9b&start=1629&end=2021","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2256690-f7bfdefd535a30e7722d1d4a0fd87e9b/thumbnail_1629000.jpg","/articles/6341649/Georgia/Committee-clarifies-definition-of-law-enforcement-officer-to-allow-federal-assistance-during-emergencies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6341649-e868d25841dd321df81aef5ae279865c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140149&Signature=cYkYl6--YeIIV5F88LmuADhkc5O73yx0YDDLQxirK7dcySMSgCu0xVEmKCie4LGoAHYeA8OdnYYI7uJBTBfjKu~vOFUHPlcNBzPPEgQsraY8IH14kiP1lM0rY0he8yjtWrJtd30EMhimVSTK7mOR97GRYQru9l0T5mK6T7ewrlOfPEPoKMPIEpsXa3Xs53cqGbetfh~c-2ol-hLaTUTRc-XZTDBGmPhVC1vOcDC60AL4sHlTojeqLSZLPq3fJN9BxOFCmXBpNeQNRuJYS44RaV~fFdESoUMGexB08Ycbr9g85OaEAhmAudTOeSHC84q748JAD~aPgFkEUlmQ7hVXag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to approve a committee substitute for Senate Bill 99, which refines the statutory definition of \"law enforcement officer\" to clarify when federal personnel may render assistance to local agencies.

Senator Robertson, the bill's sponsor, said the measure \"clarifies the definition of a law enforcement officer as a peace officer\" and is intended to permit state or federal officers to assist local law enforcement \"in response to a declaration of a state of emergency or disaster issued by the governor.\" Robertson said the bill does not change Posse Comitatus principles and does not authorize federal officers to enforce state law outside the narrow assistance context.

Mike Callahan, president of the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police, testified in support, calling the bill \"a force multiplier\" for departments that experience manpower shortages. \"Many of our smaller departments have a manpower shortage or shortfall, and there's multiple occasions when they need assistance,\" Callahan said.

During the committee, Robertson offered a friendly amendment to strike section D (lines 19 through 22 of the draft) addressing sheriff qualifications; he said a House bill being carried by Representative Gaines will define sheriff qualifications and could make that section redundant. The committee approved the amendment by voice vote and then approved the amended committee substitute by voice vote, with no recorded roll-call tally.

The committee referred the substitute to the rules committee for further consideration.

","Senate Bill 99 was amended to remove language on sheriff qualifications and to clarify that federal law enforcement officers may assist local agencies during declared emergencies; committee passed the amended bill unanimously.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6341655,"Senate committee approves special license plate to seed Georgia Veterans Foundation",310,1322000,1632000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2256690-f7bfdefd535a30e7722d1d4a0fd87e9b&start=1322&end=1632","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2256690-f7bfdefd535a30e7722d1d4a0fd87e9b/thumbnail_1322000.jpg","/articles/6341655/Georgia/Senate-committee-approves-special-license-plate-to-seed-Georgia-Veterans-Foundation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6341655-db9fc505cd20d4dddeabf6d831b870d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140149&Signature=lmGeJAtTkQyXBqFapJC2QZCvYOSnfDd07up3Xltb2D3pcoSwIUMmBkfc9Yd0wyBs7Qk2rgxrl~-Jr6gQd1j~vVCF7V5qRWS7YsoYAybFhQco8GjmV5KTLW4xKFBvnQEEU2f453tSl3t9v6ZUEAKT2MkA0CJdEatxsUVP2hglvbkjLNhd3~FUzdxhqlRqMbQ1cTPOhn-TRz3BNalbS4HXBy2iPBKwRhWSaTdISUg0q60vL~GeGiBy7aofSa1pLwVzdQ7fNjLBoB3esfFeh1T4Hg6jOzsKwHP6zt~-Xyx8E9f~Qladbg5S6Ud2ykH8heeuifeGIPiiukXjUaI5iWqhsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Public Safety Committee unanimously approved a committee substitute for Senate Bill 76 to authorize a special license plate benefiting the Georgia Veterans Foundation.

The bill, carried by Senator Drew Echols, establishes a new license plate program intended to generate seed funding for the newly formed Georgia Veterans Foundation. \"The newly formed, foundation is becoming the vehicle to assist these veterans, and we want to, seed the foundation with this new license plate honoring Georgia's veterans,\" Echols told the committee, adding that \"The bill has been vetted by the governor's office.\"

The substitute (LC 394593S) narrows the measure to set an implementation date of Jan. 1, 2026. Department staff and committee members described the plate as a non-general-fund mechanism to support veterans services; the Department of Georgia Veterans Services has signaled support for the measure, according to the bill author.

A motion to \"do pass\" was offered during the committee meeting and received a second. Committee members voiced no opposition on the record and the motion passed by voice vote. The author and backers said the plate will allow the Georgia Veterans Foundation to provide financial assistance to veterans without using appropriated state funds.

The committee advised the bill's author that the measure will next proceed to the rules committee for further consideration.

The bill text and the committee substitute will be subject to routine drafting review before subsequent hearings and committee work.

","The Senate Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to pass a committee substitute creating a special license plate to benefit the Georgia Veterans Foundation; implementation is set for Jan. 1, 2026, and the bill was vetted by the governor's office.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee holds hearing on school-zone speed cameras; debate centers on hours, signage and revenue

Committee approves amended ban on cockfighting; removes employment carve-out

Committee clarifies definition of "law enforcement officer" to allow federal assistance during emergencies

Senate committee approves special license plate to seed Georgia Veterans Foundation