sb581.html

06 SB581/AP

Senate Bill 581

By: Senators Mullis of the 53rd, Tolleson of the 20th, Carter of the 13th, Thomas of the 54th, Hamrick of the 30th and others
AS PASSED

AN ACT

To amend Chapter 5 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, so as to authorize the training center to provide training for emergency medical personnel; to change certain provisions relating to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center; to provide for effect of chapter on the Department of Technical and Adult Education; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 5 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, is amended by striking Code Section 35-5-2, relating to the board́s authority to establish, operate, and maintain the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, in its entirety and inserting in its place a new Code Section 35-5-2 to read as follows:

"35-5-2.

(a) The Board of Public Safety is authorized:

(1) To establish, operate, and maintain the Georgia Public Safety Training Center for the purpose of providing facilities and programs for the training of state and local law enforcement officers, firefighters, correctional personnel, emergency medical personnel, and others; and

(2) To do all things and take any action necessary to accomplish such purpose, including, but not limited to, the promulgation of rules and regulations relative thereto.

(b) The board is authorized and directed to select a site for the center.

(d) As used in this chapter, the term 'emergency medical personnel' includes emergency medical technicians or emergency rescue specialists who are certified or seeking certification as emergency medical technicians, paramedics, tactical emergency medical officers, cardiac technicians, or other medical first responders under Chapter 11 of Title 31 and who are employed in the capacity for which they are certified or seeking certification."

SECTION 2.

Said chapter is further amended by striking Code Section 35-5-5, relating to the availability of the center for use by state and local law enforcement officers, in its entirety and inserting a new Code Section 35-5-5 to read as follows:

"35-5-5.

(a) Subject to such rules and regulations as shall be prescribed by the board, the facilities of the center may be made available to all state and local law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and correctional personnel and may also be made available to other persons who evidence interest in entering the fields of law enforcement, fire fighting, emergency medical services, or corrections.

(b) The board is authorized to prescribe and collect such fees as are necessary to defray all or a portion of the cost of furnishing such training and the use of the facilities of the center.

(c) The state and counties and municipalities of this state are authorized to expend funds for the purpose of paying the fees assessed for use of the center. The board shall have the authority to determine who shall be allowed to enroll and participate in the training programs of the center and who shall be allowed to utilize the facilities of the center.

(d) Subject to such rules and regulations as shall be prescribed by the board, the Georgia Public Safety Training Center shall have the following powers and duties in connection with the training of peace officers, emergency medical personnel, and law enforcement support personnel:

(1) To train instructors authorized to conduct training of peace officers, emergency medical personnel, and law enforcement support personnel;

(2) To reimburse or provide for certain costs incurred in training peace officers, emergency medical personnel, and law enforcement support personnel employed or appointed by each agency, organ, or department of this state, counties, and municipalities to the extent that funds are appropriated for such purpose by the General Assembly. In the event sufficient funds are not appropriated for a fiscal year to fund the full cost provided for in this paragraph, then the amount which would otherwise be payable shall be reduced pro rata on the basis of the funds actually appropriated. As used in this paragraph, the terms 'cost' and 'costs' shall not include travel or salaries of personnel undergoing training and shall be limited exclusively to the cost of tuition, meals, and lodging which are incurred in connection with such training;

(3) To expend funds appropriated or otherwise available to the center for paying the costs of training provided under subsection (a) of Code Section 35-8-20, other than travel expenses and salaries of police chiefs or department heads of law enforcement units and wardens of state institutions undergoing training, and shall expend such funds for purposes of compensating a training officer to administer the course of training and conduct any business associated with the training provisions of said Code Section 35-8-20;

(4) To expend funds appropriated or otherwise available to the center for paying the costs of training provided for under subsection (a) of Code Section 35-8-20.1, other than travel expenses and salaries of police chiefs or department heads of law enforcement units undergoing training, and shall expend such funds for purposes of compensating a training officer to administer the course of training and conduct any business associated with the training provisions of said Code Section 35-8-20.1;

(5) To expend funds appropriated or otherwise available to the center for paying the costs of training provided for under Chapter 11 of Title 31 for the initial certification training and continued training as needed by emergency medical personnel and shall expend such funds for purposes of compensating a training officer to administer the course of training and conduct any business associated with the training provisions of said chapter; and

(6) To administer and coordinate the training for communications officers with respect to the requirements of Code Section 35-8-23. The board shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to facilitate the administration and coordination of training consistent with the provisions of said Code Section 35-8-23. The tuition costs of the training of communications officers shall be paid from funds appropriated to the center."

SECTION 3.

Said chapter is further amended by striking Code Section 35-5-6, relating to the effect of the chapter on powers of the Board of Corrections and State Board of Pardons and Paroles, and inserting a new Code Section 35-5-6 to read as follows:
"35-5-6.

Nothing in this chapter shall be considered as altering current state laws establishing the powers and authority of the Board of Corrections or the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Furthermore, nothing in this chapter shall prevent the Department of Technical and Adult Education from providing any course of instruction including, but not limited to, instructional courses, certified training, advanced instruction, or classes for or pertaining to public safety first responders and emergency medical personnel."

SECTION 4.

This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2006.

SECTION 5.

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