§ 16-5-19 — Definitions

As used in this article, the term: (1) "Correctional officer" means any person who is authorized to exercise the power of arrest and who is employed or appointed by the Department of Corrections or the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. (2) "Emergency health worker" means hospital emergency department personnel and emergency medical services personnel. (3) "Firefighter" shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 25-4-2 . (3.1) "Healthcare worker" means any employee or independent contractor of a hospital or other healthcare facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 7 of Title 31. (4) "Highway emergency response operator" means an individual employed by the Department of Transportation who operates a towing or recovery vehicle or highway maintenance vehicle. (5) "Jail officer" means any person who is employed or appointed by a county or a municipality and who has the responsibility of supervising inmates who are confined in a municipal or county detention facility. (6) "Juvenile correctional officer" means any person employed or appointed by the Department of Juvenile Justice who has the primary responsibility for the supervision and control of youth confined in its programs and facilities. (7) "Officer of the court" means a judge, attorney, clerk of court, deputy clerk of court, court reporter, or court interpreter. (8) "Probation officer" means a community supervision officer, county or Department of Juvenile Justice juvenile probation officer, or probation officer serving pursuant to Article 6 of Chapter 8 of Title 42. (9) "Public safety officer" means peace officer, correctional officer, emergency health worker, firefighter, highway emergency response operator, jail officer, juvenile correctional officer, or probation officer. (10) "Public transit vehicle" shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 16-5-20 . (11) "Strangulation" means impeding the normal breathing or circulation of blood of another person by applying pressure to the throat or neck of such person or by obstructing the nose and mouth of such person. (12) "Utility worker" means any employee of, including any person employed by or under contract with, an organization, entity, or company, whether a state created authority or privately, municipally, county, or cooperatively owned, that provides gas, heat, electricity, water, telecommunications services, sewer services, cable or video services, internet services, or railroad services.

Legislative History

Amended by 2024 Ga. Laws 566,§ 2, eff. 5/6/2024, app. all offenses committed on or after 7/1/2024. Amended by 2023 Ga. Laws 224,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2023, app. to all offenses committed on or after 7/1/2023. Added by 2017 Ga. Laws 198,§ 3-1, eff. 7/1/2017.