Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB675 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	25 LC 48 1580ERS
2		-	The House Committee on Judiciary, Non- Civil offers the following substitute to HB 675:
	1	+	25 LC 39 4690ER
	2	+	House Bill 675
	3	+	By: Representatives Cox of the 28
	4	+	th
	5	+	, McDonald III of the 26
	6	+	th
	7	+	, Panitch of the 51
	8	+	st
	9	+	, Hitchens
	10	+	of the 161
	11	+	st
	12	+	, and Jasperse of the 11
	13	+	th
	14	+
3	15		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	16		AN ACT
5		-	To amend Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1
	17	+	To amend Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
	18	+	1
6	19		offenses against public order and safety, so as to provide for criminal offenses related to2
7	20		material support of terrorism; to provide for penalties; to provide for legislative intent; to3
8	21		provide for the creation of guidelines for law enforcement investigations; to provide for4
9	22		definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5
10	23		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6
11	24		SECTION 1.7
12	25		Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to offenses against8
13	26		public order and safety, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:9
14		-	"ARTICLE 710
	27	+	"ARTICLE 7
	28	+	10
15	29		16-11-230.11
16	30		(a) As used in this article, the term:12
17	31		(1) 'Act of terrorism' means an activity that:13
18		-	H. B. 675 ~~(SUB)~~
19		-	- 1 - 25 LC ~~48 1580ERS~~
20		-	(A) Involves violent acts that are dangerous to human life and are a ~~felony violation14~~
21		-	~~of the~~ criminal laws of the United States or ~~the~~ State ~~of Georgia~~; and15
	32	+	H. B. 675
	33	+	- 1 - 25 LC 39 4690ER
	34	+	(A) Involves violent acts that are dangerous to human life and are a violation of the14
	35	+	criminal laws of the United States or of any state; and15
22	36		(B) Is intended to:16
23	37		(i) Intimidate, injure, or coerce a civilian population;17
24	38		(ii) Influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or18
25	39		(iii) Affect the conduct of government through mass destruction, assassination, or19
26	40		kidnapping.20
27	41		(2) 'Designated foreign terrorist organization' means an organization designated as a21
28		-	terrorist organization under 8 U.S.C. Section 1189, and under executive order 14157 as22
29		-	of March 6, 2025.23
30		-	(3) 'Expert advice or assistance' means advice or assistance derived from scientific,24
31		-	technical, or other specialized knowledge.25
32		-	(4) 'Material support or resources' means any property, tangible or intangible, or service,26
33		-	including currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services,27
34		-	lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safe houses, false documentation or28
35		-	identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances,29
36		-	explosives, personnel, or transportation, except for medicine or religious materials.30
37		-	(5) 'Training' means instruction or teaching designed to impart a specific skill rather than31
38		-	general knowledge.32
39		-	(b) A person commits a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or33
40		-	a fine of not more than $100,000.00, or both, if the person:34
41		-	(1) Provides material support or resources or conceals or disguises the nature, location,35
42		-	source, or ownership of the material support or resources, knowing and intending that the36
43		-	support or resources are to be used in preparation for or in carrying out an act of37
44		-	terrorism;38
45		-	(2) Conceals an escape from the commission of a violation of paragraph (1) of this39
46		-	subsection; or40
47		-	H. B. 675 (SUB)
48		-	- 2 - 25 LC 48 1580ERS
49		-	(3) Attempts or conspires to commit a violation of paragraph (1) of this subsection.41
50		-	(c) A person who knowingly and intentionally provides material support or resources to42
51		-	a designated foreign terrorist organization, or attempts or conspires to do so, commits a43
52		-	felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than44
53		-	$100,000.00, or both. To violate this subsection, a person shall have knowledge that the45
54		-	organization is a designated foreign terrorist organization or that the organization has46
55		-	engaged in or engages in acts of terrorism.47
56		-	(d)(1) For purposes of prosecution under subsection (b) or (c) of this Code section, a48
57		-	person is deemed to provide material support or resources by providing personnel if the49
58		-	person knowingly provides, attempts to provide, or conspires to provide himself or50
59		-	herself or another person to:51
60		-	(A) Work under the direction and control of a designated foreign terrorist organization52
61		-	or a person engaged in, or intending to engage in, an act of terrorism; or53
62		-	(B) Organize, manage, supervise, or otherwise direct the operations of a designated54
63		-	foreign terrorist organization or a person engaged in, or intending to engage in, an act55
64		-	of terrorism.56
65		-	(2) An individual who acts entirely independently of the designated foreign terrorist57
66		-	organization or the person engaged in, or intending to engage in, an act of terrorism to58
67		-	advance the organization's or person's goals or objectives is not working under the59
68		-	direction and control of the designated foreign terrorist organization or person engaged60
69		-	in, or intending to engage in, an act of terrorism.61
70		-	(e) A person shall not be prosecuted under this article if his or her activity was authorized62
71		-	by a governmental or law enforcement agency of this state or of the United States in the63
72		-	agency's official capacity and pursuant to a lawful purpose or if the activity is that of an64
73		-	attorney who is authorized to practice law and is providing legal services to an individual65
74		-	who is accused of a violation of a criminal law of the United States or of any state.66
75		-	H. B. 675 (SUB)
76		-	- 3 - 25 LC 48 1580ERS
77		-	(f) It is the intent of the General Assembly that subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section67
78		-	be interpreted in a manner consistent with federal case law interpreting 18 U.S.C.68
79		-	Sections 2339A and 2339B, and under executive order 14157 as of March 6, 2025."69
80		-	SECTION 2.70
81		-	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.71
82		-	H. B. 675 (SUB)
	42	+	terrorist organization under 8 U.S.C. Section 1189.22
	43	+	(3) 'Expert advice or assistance' means advice or assistance derived from scientific,23
	44	+	technical, or other specialized knowledge.24
	45	+	(4) 'Material support or resources' means any property, tangible or intangible, or service,25
	46	+	including currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services,26
	47	+	lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safe houses, false documentation or27
	48	+	identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances,28
	49	+	explosives, personnel, or transportation.29
	50	+	(5) 'Training' means instruction or teaching designed to impart a specific skill rather than30
	51	+	general knowledge.31
	52	+	(b) A person commits a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or32
	53	+	a fine of not more than $100,000.00, or both, if the person:33
	54	+	(1) Provides material support or resources or conceals or disguises the nature, location,34
	55	+	source, or ownership of the material support or resources, knowing or intending that the35
	56	+	support or resources are to be used in preparation for or in carrying out an act of36
	57	+	terrorism;37
	58	+	(2) Conceals an escape from the commission of a violation of paragraph (1) of this38
	59	+	subsection; or39
	60	+	(3) Attempts or conspires to commit a violation of paragraph (1) of this subsection.40
	61	+	H. B. 675
	62	+	- 2 - 25 LC 39 4690ER
	63	+	(c) A person who knowingly provides material support or resources to a designated foreign41
	64	+	terrorist organization, or attempts or conspires to do so, commits a felony punishable by42
	65	+	imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $100,000.00, or both. 43
	66	+	To violate this subsection, a person shall have knowledge that the organization is a44
	67	+	designated foreign terrorist organization or that the organization has engaged in or engages45
	68	+	in acts of terrorism.46
	69	+	(d)(1) For purposes of prosecution under subsection (b) or (c) of this Code section, a47
	70	+	person is deemed to provide material support or resources by providing personnel if the48
	71	+	person knowingly provides, attempts to provide, or conspires to provide himself or49
	72	+	herself or another person to:50
	73	+	(A) Work under the direction and control of a designated foreign terrorist organization51
	74	+	or a person engaged in, or intending to engage in, an act of terrorism; or52
	75	+	(B) Organize, manage, supervise, or otherwise direct the operations of a designated53
	76	+	foreign terrorist organization or a person engaged in, or intending to engage in, an act54
	77	+	of terrorism.55
	78	+	(2) An individual who acts entirely independently of the designated foreign terrorist56
	79	+	organization or the person engaged in, or intending to engage in, an act of terrorism to57
	80	+	advance the organization's or person's goals or objectives is not working under the58
	81	+	direction and control of the designated foreign terrorist organization or person engaged59
	82	+	in, or intending to engage in, an act of terrorism.60
	83	+	(e) A person shall not be prosecuted under this article if his or her activity was authorized61
	84	+	by a governmental or law enforcement agency of this state or of the United States in the62
	85	+	agency's official capacity and pursuant to a lawful purpose or if the activity is that of an63
	86	+	attorney who is authorized to practice law and is providing legal services to an individual64
	87	+	who is accused of a violation of a criminal law of the United States or of any state.65
	88	+	H. B. 675
	89	+	- 3 - 25 LC 39 4690ER
	90	+	(f) It is the intent of the General Assembly that subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section66
	91	+	be interpreted in a manner consistent with federal case law interpreting 18 U.S.C.67
	92	+	Sections 2339A and 2339B.68
	93	+	(g) The Attorney General shall create guidelines for law enforcement investigations69
	94	+	conducted pursuant to this article to ensure the protection of privacy rights, civil rights, and70
	95	+	civil liberties."71
	96	+	SECTION 2.72
	97	+	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.73
	98	+	H. B. 675
83	99		- 4 -