State Sen. Elena Parent has introduced a new bill in the Georgia Senate to improve accountability by requiring federal immigration officers to use body cameras during public enforcement operations, according to the Georgia State Senate.
The measure, designated as SB483 and introduced on Monday, Feb. 9, during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, is described as: ’Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies; covered immigration officers to wear body cameras during public immigration enforcement functions; require.’
Below is a summary based on the actual bill text, with interpretive notes for clarification.
Essentially, the legislation requires specific federal immigration officers working in Georgia to wear body cameras during public-facing immigration enforcement activities. It defines “body camera,” identifies a “covered immigration officer” as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer or employee with immigration enforcement authority, and describes “public immigration enforcement function” as including patrols, stops, arrests, searches, status interviews, raids, checkpoints and serving warrants. The bill stipulates that cameras must operate and record audio and video continuously while these activities are performed, and it repeals any laws in conflict with its requirements.
Sen. Nan Orrock (Democrat-36th), Sen. Randal Mangham (Democrat-55th), and Sen. Sally Harrell (Democrat-40th) are co-sponsors, along with 10 additional lawmakers.
So far this session, Parent has introduced eight other bills.
Parent earned a BA from the University of Virginia in 1998 and a JD from the same institution in 2002.
A member of the Democratic Party, Parent was elected in 2025 to represent Georgia’s 44th Senate District, succeeding former state senator Brian Strickland.
In Georgia, the legislative process begins when a legislator, often prompted by a constituent, collaborates with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. The bill is filed with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, read for the first time, and sent to a committee for debate and consideration. If it passes committee, it moves to the floor for a third reading, debate, and a vote. To become law, the bill must win approval in both chambers, sometimes by way of a conference committee, before reaching the governor. The governor has six days during session—or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die)—to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. The Georgia General Assembly convenes annually for a 40-day session starting the second Monday in January.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB481 | 02/09/2026 | Medical Assistance; Medicaid coverage for heart and lung transplants when medically necessary; require |
| SB394 | 01/13/2026 | Motor Vehicles; operation of alternative fueled vehicles and make conforming changes; remove a fee |
| SB327 | 03/07/2025 | Clayton Judicial Circuit; sixth judge of the superior courts; provide |
| SB114 | 02/05/2025 | General Assembly; certain procedures for redistricting of the General Assembly and congressional districts in this state; provide |
| SB67 | 01/30/2025 | Income Taxes; income tax credit equal to 20 percent of the federal earned income tax credit; provide |
| SB66 | 01/30/2025 | Crimes; persons convicted of misdemeanor crimes of family violence from receiving, possessing, or transporting a firearm; prohibit |
| SB49 | 01/28/2025 | Carrying and Possession of Firearms; offense of making a firearm accessible to a child; establish |
| SB48 | 01/28/2025 | Disclosure and Dissemination of Criminal Records; a judicial procedure for purging a person’s involuntary hospitalization information; provide |
Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia State Senate. The source data can be found here.
