Bill Text: GA SB343 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Public Administration; offenses; clarify crime of impersonating an officer include firefighter/public safety personnel

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 6-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-03-26 - House Second Readers [SB343 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-SB343-Engrossed.html

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10 LC 35 1781S (SCS)

Senate Bill 343

By: Senators Shafer of the 48th, Hudgens of the 47th, Mullis of the 53rd, Hawkins of the 49th, Powell of the 23rd and others

AS PASSED SENATE

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to obstruction of public administration and related offenses, so as to clarify that the crime of impersonating an officer includes firefighters and public safety personnel; to amend Article 3 of Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to personnel for emergency medical services, so as to modify the penalty for persons falsely representing themselves to be emergency medical personnel; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to obstruction of public administration and related offenses, is amended by revising Code Section 16-10-23, relating to impersonating a public officer or employee, as follows:

"16-10-23.

A person who falsely holds himself or herself out as a peace officer, firefighter, including a volunteer firefighter, public safety official, or other public officer or employee with intent to mislead another into believing that he or she is actually such officer commits the offense of impersonating an officer and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, or both."

SECTION 2.

Article 3 of Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to personnel for emergency medical services, is amended by revising Code Section 31-11-61, relating to penalties for a person representing himself or herself as an emergency medical services personnel, as follows:

"31-11-61.

Any person who shall falsely represent himself or herself to be a certified emergency medical technician, certified cardiac technician, or certified paramedic or who shall accept or continue in employment as such and perform the duties thereof without being certified as prescribed by this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punished by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, or both."

SECTION 3.

This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2010, and shall apply to all offenses committed on or after such date.

SECTION 4.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.