Georgia 2023-2024 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB299 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	24 LC 46 0540/AP
2		-	House Bill 299 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
	1	+	23 LC 46 0540
	2	+	H. B. 299
	3	+	- 1 -
	4	+	House Bill 299
3	5		By: Representatives Thomas of the 21
4	6		st
5	7		, Bonner of the 73
6	8		rd
7	9		, Clark of the 100
8	10		th
9	11		, Ballard of the
10	12		147
11	13		th
12	14		, Tarvin of the 2
13	15		nd
14	16		, and others
15	17		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	18		AN ACT
17	19		To amend Code Section 15-9-2.1, Title 16, Title 19, Title 20, and Chapter 2 of Title 38,
18	20		1
19	21		Chapter 2 of Title 40, of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to appointment,2
20	22		compensation, authority, qualifications, training, and other limitations of associate probate3
21	23		court judges, crimes and offenses, domestic relations, education, military affairs, and4
22	24		registration and licensing of motor vehicles, respectively, so as to add appropriate references5
23	25		to the United States Space Force; to make conforming changes; to provide for related6
24	26		matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7
25	27		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8
26	28		SECTION 1.9
27	29		Code Section 15-9-2.1, relating to appointment, compensation, authority, qualifications,10
28	30		training, and other limitations of associate probate court judges, is amended by revising11
29	31		paragraph (1) of subsection (e) as follows:12
30	32		"(1) It shall be unlawful for any associate judge of the probate court to engage directly13
31	33		or indirectly in the practice of law in his or her own name or in the name of another as a14
32	34		partner in any manner in any case, proceeding, or matter of any kind in his or her own15
33		-	court or in any other court in any case, proceeding, or any other matters of which his or16
	35	+	court or in any other court in any case, proceeding, or any other matters of which his or16 23 LC 46 0540
34	36		H. B. 299
35		-	- ~~1 - 24 LC 46 0540/AP~~
	37	+	- 2 -
36	38		her own court has pending jurisdiction or has jurisdiction. It shall be unlawful for any
37	39		17
38	40		associate judge of the probate court to give advice or counsel to any individual on any18
39	41		matter of any kind whatsoever that has arisen directly or indirectly in his or her own19
40	42		court. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit in any way the ability of an20
41	43		associate judge of the probate court to serve as or offer advice in his or her role as a judge21
42	44		advocate or in any other military role in an active duty or reserve component of the22
43	45		United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States23
44	46		Coast Guard, United States Air Force, United States Space Force,
45	47		United States National24
46	48		Guard, Georgia National Guard, Georgia Air National Guard, Georgia Naval Militia, the25
47	49		Georgia State Defense Force, or in the National Guard or Air National Guard of any state26
48	50		or territory of the United States."27
49	51		SECTION 2. 28
50	52		Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, is29
51	53		amended in Code Section 16-9-63, relating to false representation as veteran, by revising30
52	54		paragraph (1) of subsection (a) as follows:31
53	55		"(a) As used in this Code section, the term: 32
54	56		(1) 'Armed forces of the United States' means the army, navy, air force, space force,33
55	57		marine corps, or coast guard and the reserve components thereof and the uniformed34
56	58		components of the Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric35
57	59		Administration."36
58	60		SECTION 3. 37
59	61		Said title is further amended in Code Section 16-11-124, relating to exemptions from38
60		-	application of part, by revising paragraph (2) of subsection (a) as follows: 39
	62	+	application of part, by revising paragraph (2) of subsection (a) as follows: 39 23 LC 46 0540
61	63		H. B. 299
62		-	- ~~2 - 24 LC 46 0540/AP~~
	64	+	- 3 -
63	65		"(2) A member of the National Guard or of the armed forces of the United States to wit:
64	66		40
65	67		the army, navy, marine corps, air force, space force,
66	68		or coast guard who, while serving41
67	69		therein, possesses such firearm in the line of duty;"42
68	70		SECTION 4. 43
69	71		Said title is further amended in Code Section 16-11-129, relating to weapons carry license,44
70	72		gun safety information, temporary renewal permit, mandamus, and verification of license,45
71	73		by revising subparagraph (a)(2)(A) as follows: 46
72	74		"(A) As used in this paragraph, the term 'service member' means an active duty47
73	75		member of the regular or reserve component of the United States Army, United States48
74	76		Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, United States Air Force,49
75	77		United States Space Force, United States National Guard, Georgia Army National50
76	78		Guard, or Georgia Air National Guard."51
77	79		SECTION 5.52
78	80		Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to domestic relations, is53
79	81		amended in Code Section 19-7-5, relating to reporting of child abuse, when mandated or54
80	82		authorized, content of report, to whom made, immunity from liability, report based upon55
81	83		privileged communication, penalty for failure to report, and spiritual treatment for illnesses,56
82	84		by revising subparagraph (e)(1)(B) as follows:57
83	85		"(B) 'Armed forces of the United States' or 'military' means the United States Army,58
84	86		United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, United59
85	87		States Air Force, United States Space Force, United States National Guard, Georgia60
86		-	Army National Guard, or Georgia Air National Guard, or a reserve component thereof."61
	88	+	Army National Guard, or Georgia Air National Guard, or a reserve component thereof."61 23 LC 46 0540
87	89		H. B. 299
88		-	- ~~3 - 24 LC 46 0540/AP~~
	90	+	- 4 -
89	91		SECTION 6.
90	92		62
91	93		Said title is further amended in Code Section 19-8-26, relating to forms, by revising63
92	94		subparagraph (h)(2)(A) as follows:64
93	95		"(A) The branch of his service is (Army) (Navy) (Marine) (Air Force) (Space Force)
94	96		65
95	97		(Coast Guard) [circle one]."66
96	98		SECTION 7. 67
97	99		Said title is further amended in Code Section 19-8-26, relating to forms, by revising68
98	100		subparagraph (n)(7)(A) as follows:69
99	101		"(A) The branch of my service is (Army)(Navy)(Marine)(Airforce)(Space Force)(Coast70
100	102		Guard)[circle one]."71
101	103		SECTION 8.72
102	104		Said title is further amended in Code Section 19-9-6, relating to definitions relative to child73
103	105		custody proceedings, by revising paragraph (1) of subsection (a) as follows: 74
104	106		"(1) 'Armed forces' means the national guard and the reserve components of the armed75
105	107		forces, the United States army, navy, marine corps, space force, coast guard, and air76
106	108		force." 77
107	109		SECTION 9.78
108	110		Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended in79
109	111		Code Section 20-4-130, relating to definitions relative to the Defense Community Economic80
110	112		Development Grant Program, by revising paragraph (4) of subsection (a) as follows:81
111	113		"(4) 'Military installation' means a facility owned and operated by United States Army,82
112	114		Air Force, Navy, Marines, Space Force, or Coast Guard that shelters military equipment83
113		-	and personnel and facilitates training and operations for such organizations."84
	115	+	and personnel and facilitates training and operations for such organizations."84 23 LC 46 0540
114	116		H. B. 299
115		-	- ~~4 - 24 LC 46 0540/AP~~
	117	+	- 5 -
116	118		SECTION 10.
117	119		85
118	120		Chapter 2 of Title 38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to military affairs,86
119	121		is amended in Code Section 38-2-2, relating to definitions relative to the Defense Community87
120	122		Economic Development Grant Program, by revising paragraph (4) of subsection (a) as88
121	123		follows:89
122	124		"(1) 'Active military service of the United States' and 'in the armed forces of the United90
123	125		States' mean full-time duty in the army, navy, marine corps, air force, space force,
124	126		or91
125	127		coast guard of the United States."92
126	128		SECTION 11. 93
127	129		Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 38-2-217, relating to resignations, acts94
128	130		constituting resignation, types of discharge after resignation, and resignation of officers who95
129	131		are accountable for military funds or property, by revising subsection (b) as follows:96
130	132		"(b) Enlistment in the regular army, air force, navy, marine corps, space force, or coast97
131	133		guard of the United States shall be deemed a resignation by the person so enlisting of all98
132	134		commissions in the militia held by him or her."99
133	135		SECTION 12.100
134	136		Chapter 2 of Title 40, relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles, is amended in101
135	137		Code Section 40-2-65, relating to special license plates for members of active reserve102
136	138		components of the United States, by revising paragraph (1) of subsection (a) as follows:103
137	139		"(1) Motor vehicle owners who are assigned or attached members of troop program units104
138	140		of any branch of the active reserve components of the United States inside or outside the105
139	141		State of Georgia shall be eligible to receive free motor vehicle license plates for private106
140	142		passenger cars, motorcycles, or trucks used for personal transportation. Motor vehicle107
141	143		owners who are members of any National Guard unit in a state adjoining the State of108
142		-	Georgia and for whom there is no National Guard unit in the county of their residence109
	144	+	Georgia and for whom there is no National Guard unit in the county of their residence109 23 LC 46 0540
143	145		H. B. 299
144		-	- ~~5 - 24 LC 46 0540/AP~~
	146	+	- 6 -
145	147		shall be eligible to receive free motor vehicle plates for private passenger cars,
146	148		110
147	149		motorcycles, or trucks used for personal transportation to identify such vehicle owner as111
148	150		a reservist. Such license plates shall be issued in compliance with the state motor vehicle112
149	151		laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles as prescribed in Article 2 of113
150	152		this chapter. No person shall be entitled to more than one free motor vehicle license plate114
151	153		for any calendar year; provided, however, that, upon payment of the regular license fee115
152	154		provided for in Code Section 40-2-151 and a manufacturing fee of $25.00, a reservist116
153	155		shall be entitled to receive one additional such license plate. For each additional license117
154	156		plate for which an initial $25.00 fee was required, there shall be an additional annual118
155	157		registration fee of $25.00, which fee shall be collected by the county tag agent at the time119
156	158		of collection of other registration fees and shall be remitted to the state as provided in120
157	159		Code Section 40-2-34. Additional words or symbols in addition to numbers and letters121
158	160		prescribed by law shall be inscribed upon such license plates so as to identify122
159	161		distinctively the owner as a member of one of the following branches of the United States123
160	162		military reserve: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force,
161	163		or Coast Guard. The124
162	164		commanding officer of each active reserve component program unit or the adjutant125
163	165		general of the National Guard unit of each neighboring state shall, upon request of any126
164	166		reserve member or National Guard member of that unit, respectively, furnish to that127
165	167		member approved documentation supporting the member's current membership in the128
166	168		respective reserve or National Guard unit. This documentation shall be presented129
167	169		annually to the tax commissioner of the county in which the reserve member or National130
168	170		Guard member applies for the special license plate under this Code section and upon131
169	171		subsequent reregistration for each succeeding year."132
170	172		SECTION 13.133
171	173		Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 40-2-85.1, relating to special license plates134
172		-	for certain veterans, by revising subsection (d) as follows:135
	174	+	for certain veterans, by revising subsection (d) as follows:135 23 LC 46 0540
173	175		H. B. 299
174		-	- ~~6 - 24 LC 46 0540/AP~~
	176	+	- 7 -
175	177		"(d) The special and distinctive vehicle license plates shall be as prescribed in Article 2 of
176	178		136
177	179		this chapter for private passenger cars, motorcycles, trucks, recreational vehicles, and137
178	180		trailers used for personal transportation. Such plates shall contain words or symbols, in138
179	181		addition to the numbers and letters prescribed by law, so as to identify distinctively the139
180	182		owners who are veterans, who are recipients of a military medal award, or who served140
181	183		during active military combat and shall additionally identify distinctively the owner as a141
182	184		current or former member of one of the following branches of the armed forces of the142
183	185		United States: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force,
184	186		or Coast Guard."143
185	187		SECTION 14.144
186	188		All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.145
187		-	H. B. 299
188		-	- 7 -