Attorney General Chris Carr, Senator John Albers and Rep. Houston Gaines Push Legislation to Crack Down on Organized Retail Crime in Georgia

ATLANTA (February 16, 2022) | On Tuesday, February 15,  Attorney General Chris Carr, State Senator John Albers (R – Roswell), and Rep. Houston Gaines (R – Athens) joined representatives from CVS Health and The Home Depot in a press conference to discuss SB 332, the Georgia Inform Consumers Act. SB 332, which passed the Senate 51-0. SB 332 would continue Georgia’s efforts to crack down on organized retail crime by providing critical protections for consumers who unknowingly purchase stolen and counterfeit products from online marketplaces. Specifically, SB 332 would require online marketplaces to verify high-volume third-party sellers and provide consumers with an email, phone number or direct electronic communication to contact sellers with questions or concerns about the products they are seeking to purchase.

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Legislation to Support Law Enforcement Sponsored by Sen. Larry Walker Unanimously Passes Senate

ATLANTA (February 11, 2022) | Yesterday, Senate Bill 361, known as the Law Enforcement Strategic Support (or LESS Crime) Act, sponsored by Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry), was successfully passed by the Georgia Senate with bipartisan support.

“The safety and security of their families and property are some of the most basic, fundamental needs of every Georgian,” said Sen. Walker. “SB 361 seeks to secure those needs by supporting our law enforcement through the implementation of a tax credit for contributions made to qualified law enforcement foundations. These funds can be used to hire new officers, purchase equipment or go towards establishing a mental health co-responder program. I am pleased that SB 361 passed the Senate with unanimous, bipartisan support and I especially would like to thank Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan for his leadership on crafting this innovative and forward-thinking legislation. I look forward to continuing to support this measure as it makes its way through the House and, eventually, on to the Governor’s desk.” 

The LESS Crime Act would allow individual taxpayers and businesses to claim a tax credit for directly supporting local public safety efforts through contributing to qualified law enforcement foundations. Specifically, SB 361 would permit single filers to claim a tax credit of up to $5,000, while joint filers and qualified businesses may claim up to $10,000 for qualified contributions, with total contributions being capped at $5 million per foundation each year and at $100 million annually.

You can read the full text of SB 361 here: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/61292

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For Immediate Release:

Feb. 11, 2022

Andrew Allison, Director

andrew.allison@senate.ga.gov

404.656.0028