Reporting of students committing prohibited acts

(a) Any teacher or other person employed at any public or private elementary or secondary school or any dean or public safety officer employed by a college or university who has reasonable cause to believe that a student at that school has committed any act upon school property or at any school function, which act is prohibited by Code Section 16-5-21 or 16-5-24, Chapter 6 of Title 16, and Code Section 16-11-127, 16-11-127.1, 16-11-132, or 16-13-30, shall immediately report the act and the name of the student to the principal or president of that school or the principal’s or president’s designee; provided, however, that an act which is prohibited by Code Section 16-11-127.1 shall be reported only when it involves a: (1) Firearm, as defined in Code Section 16-11-131; (2) Dangerous weapon or machine gun, as defined in Code Section 16-11-121; or (3) Weapon, as defined in Code Section 16-11-127.1, together with an assault. (b) The principal or designee who receives a report made pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section who has reasonable cause to believe that the report is valid shall make an oral report thereof immediately by telephone or otherwise to the appropriate school system superintendent and to the appropriate police authority and district attorney. (c) Any person participating in the making of a report or causing a report to be made as authorized or required pursuant to this Code section or participating in any judicial proceeding or any other proceeding resulting therefrom shall in so doing be immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed, providing such participation pursuant to this Code section is made in good faith. (d) Any person required to make a report pursuant to this Code section who knowingly and willfully fails to do so shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-1184, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1834, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1012, § 7; Ga. L. 2010, p. 963, § 2-12/SB 308; Ga. L. 2014, p. 432, § 2-11/HB 826; Ga. L. 2015, p. 805, § 11/HB 492. Editor’s notes. Ga. L. 1994, p. 1012, § 1, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that the Act shall be known and may be cited as the “School Safety and Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 1994.” Ga. L. 1994, p. 1012, § 2, not codified by the General Assembly, sets forth legislative findings and determinations for the “School Safety and Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 1994.” Ga. L. 1994, p. 1012, § 29, not codified by the General Assembly, provides for severability. 875 Ga. L. 1994, p. 1012, § 30, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that the Act shall apply to all offenses committed on or after May 1, 1994. Ga. L. 2010, p. 963, § 3-1/SB 308, not codified by the General Assembly, provides, in part, that the amendment of this Code section shall apply to all offenses committed on and after June 4, 2010, and 20-2-1185 shall not affect any prosecutions for acts occurring before June 4, 2010, and shall not act as an abatement of any such prosecution.