Georgia governor enacts 10 new public safety laws, spurring immigration control

ATLANTA - Gov. Brian Kemp had high praise for Georgia law enforcement and public safety officers during Wednesday's bill signing ceremony.   

Kemp signed 10 public safety bills into law, including one of the most controversial pieces of legislation, House Bill 1105. 

Georgia’s new immigration law 

HB 1105 will require local jailers to check the immigration status of inmates and cooperate with federal immigration officials. 

Republican lawmakers pushed for tougher immigration laws following Laken Riley's murder. Authorities say the man accused of killing the nursing student on the University of Georgia campus last month, was in the country illegally. 

Local law enforcement agencies who don't comply risk losing state funding and could also face misdemeanor charges. 

The governor also signed a bill that increases the number of serious offenses that require cash bail, despite the objection of critics who call it a setback to years of criminal justice reform. 

Governor signs jail contraband bill 

Lawmakers also tackled the ongoing problem with illegal contraband being smuggled into the state's jails and prisons. 

SB 159 stiffens the penalties for inmates caught with cellphones and other wireless communication devices. 

And it's now a felony for corrections staff and contractors to supply tobacco, drugs, guns, cellphones, and other illegal contraband to prisoners. 

A new law targeting drag racing increases the punishment for organizers and participants, and those convicted of drive-by shootings will now face stiffer penalties.  

Gov. Kemp also signed into law legislation that increases the penalty for swatting.