ATLANTA – A Republican-backed bill advancing in the Georgia House would block “defund the police” movements in cities and counties, after Atlanta and Athens debated plans to cut or redirect spending following racial injustice protests last year.
The measure is a response to arguments by protesters nationwide that minority communities are suffering from overpolicing and that governments should spend less on law enforcement and more on social service workers who could help address problems, but without guns and arrest powers.
House Bill 286 says cities and counties can't cut spending on their police departments by more than 5% a year. The House Governmental Affairs General Government Subcommittee on Tuesday approved it on a split voice vote,