Which of the new misdemeanor crimes the Georgia legislature created in 2025 should require fingerprinting at arrest?
Plain-English summary
The 2025 GCIC fingerprintable-offense review covers seven misdemeanors. AG Chris Carr designated all seven as fingerprintable, with no non-designations. The 2025 list runs heavy on public-safety and public-integrity offenses.
Roadside pet transfers (§ 4-11-10.1(b)). Makes it unlawful to transfer dogs, cats, or domestic rabbits at any roadside, public right-of-way, parkway, median, public or commercial parking lot or sidewalk, park, recreation area, fair, transient or seasonal flea market, or similar transient or outdoor location. Designated. Targets the parking-lot puppy market.
Drones at ticketed events (§ 6-1-4(d)). Makes it unlawful to operate an unmanned aircraft system within 400 feet of or above a ticketed entertainment event (with limited exceptions). Designated. Addresses safety and privacy concerns at concerts, sporting events, and similar venues.
Disrupting public school operations (§ 20-2-1181.1(a)). Makes it unlawful to knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly disrupt or interfere with the operation of any public school, public school bus, or public school bus stop as designated by local boards of education. Designated. Builds on the existing § 20-2-1181 disruption framework.
Terroristic threat against a school (§ 20-2-1181.1(b)). Makes it unlawful to make a terroristic threat against a school. Designated. The provision creates a school-specific terroristic threat misdemeanor distinct from the general terroristic threat statute.
Soliciting minor to organize political event on school property (§ 21-5-16). Makes it unlawful for a candidate, campaign committee, or political action committee to solicit a minor to fraudulently organize an event on the property of a local school system when the purpose is electioneering or voter influence and the event is otherwise prohibited by law or by school policy. Designated. Targets a specific manipulation pattern.
Local-official bail bond business (§ 45-11-8(a)(2)). Makes it unlawful for a member of a governing authority of a county, municipal corporation, or consolidated government to directly or indirectly engage in the bail bond business in their jurisdiction. Designated. A conflict-of-interest provision.
Fireworks obstructing emergency personnel (§ 16-10-35(b)). Prior-session offense. Makes it unlawful to knowingly and intentionally ignite a firework when it explodes within 150 feet of, or causes injury to, an emergency medical technician, firefighter, or law enforcement officer for the purpose of hindering or disrupting them. Designated.
What this means for you
If you breed or sell dogs, cats, or domestic rabbits
The roadside-transfer prohibition (§ 4-11-10.1(b)) is broad. Avoid transferring animals in any of the listed transient or outdoor locations: parking lots, parks, sidewalks, fairs, flea markets, etc. Use a licensed pet establishment or arrange transfers at a private home or business location.
If you operate drones at concerts, sporting events, or similar gatherings
The 400-foot rule in § 6-1-4(d) applies to any ticketed entertainment event. Operating within or above the event area is now a fingerprintable misdemeanor (with limited exceptions). Confirm event-specific drone authorization before flying.
If you work at a school or run a school
The new disruption-of-operations and terroristic-threat-against-school provisions strengthen enforcement tools. Train staff to recognize and report disruptions; coordinate with law enforcement on threat response. The provisions cover school buses and bus stops as designated by local boards.
If you serve in county, municipal, or consolidated government
Do not engage in the bail bond business in your jurisdiction, directly or indirectly. § 45-11-8(a)(2) is now fingerprintable. The conflict-of-interest concern is acute when you have any oversight role over the local criminal-justice system.
If you run a political campaign or PAC
Do not solicit minors to organize events on school property to influence elections. § 21-5-16 targets a narrow but specific manipulation pattern; designated fingerprintable. Use legitimate venues and lawful organizing channels.
If you set off fireworks in Georgia
The fireworks-obstructing-emergency-personnel offense (§ 16-10-35(b)) was carried over from a prior session and now designated. The 150-foot rule and the intent-to-hinder element make this a serious offense; the misdemeanor of high and aggravated nature classification (implicit in the statute's structure) supports the fingerprintable designation.
Common questions
Q: Why does Georgia regulate roadside pet sales?
A: Roadside pet transfers (often "puppies for sale" in parking lots) have been a long-running consumer-protection and animal-welfare concern. Sellers often misrepresent the animal's age, health, or pedigree, and animals are often sourced from substandard breeding facilities. § 4-11-10.1(b) creates a clean charging tool.
Q: What's the 400-foot drone rule?
A: § 6-1-4(d) prohibits drone operation within 400 feet of, or above, a ticketed entertainment event. The rule is part of Georgia's broader drone-regulation framework that preempts most local regulation while imposing state-level restrictions on specific risky scenarios.
Q: What's the difference between disrupting school operations and terroristic threat against a school?
A: § 20-2-1181.1(a) covers actual disruption (entering, blocking, interfering with operations). § 20-2-1181.1(b) covers threats that may not result in actual disruption but create the threat itself. Both are misdemeanors. Both designated.
Q: How does this opinion treat the prior-session fireworks offense?
A: § 16-10-35(b) was apparently flagged in a prior session but never designated. The 2025 review captured it. Designated fingerprintable to support enforcement against people who use fireworks to interfere with emergency personnel.
Q: Who can serve as bail bondsman in Georgia?
A: The general bail bond regulatory framework lives in Title 17. § 45-11-8(a)(2) adds a conflict-of-interest layer: a member of a county, municipal, or consolidated governing authority cannot engage in bail bonds in their own jurisdiction. The intersection of local public office and the bail bond industry creates obvious appearance and reality concerns.
Q: What about national security and federal drone law?
A: Federal aviation law (FAA Part 107 and related) governs unmanned aircraft systems generally. State laws can supplement in some areas (operations near sensitive sites, privacy, criminal penalties for harmful operations) but cannot override federal aviation safety rules. Georgia's § 6-1-4(d) sits within those state-supplemental authorities.
Background and statutory framework
The 2025 list is a tighter, more focused review than 2024's. The seven offenses target distinct policy concerns: animal welfare and consumer protection (roadside pet sales), event safety and privacy (drones), school safety (disruption and threats), elections integrity (manipulation of school-based events), public-official conflict of interest (bail bonds), and emergency-responder protection (fireworks obstruction).
The pattern of designating all reviewed offenses contrasts with 2024's high non-designation count. The 2025 misdemeanors all involve substantive criminal conduct rather than primarily regulatory or recordkeeping violations. The AG's analytical approach (designate substantive harm, decline to designate regulatory non-compliance) explains why this batch came out 7-for-7.
Note the unusual designation of an offense from a "prior legislative session" (§ 16-10-35(b)). This pattern (catching missed prior offenses in a current-year review) appears periodically in the GCIC opinion sequence and ensures full coverage of the misdemeanor catalog over time.
Citations and references
Statutes:
- O.C.G.A. § 35-3-33 (Crime Information Center fingerprintable-offense provisions)
- O.C.G.A. § 4-11-10.1 (transfer of domestic animals)
- O.C.G.A. § 6-1-4 (unmanned aircraft system regulation)
- O.C.G.A. § 16-10-35 (fireworks obstructing emergency personnel)
- O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1181, § 20-2-1181.1 (school disruption and threats)
- O.C.G.A. § 21-5-16 (political event solicitation involving minors)
- O.C.G.A. § 45-11-8 (local-official conflicts including bail bonds)
Source
Original opinion text
Best-effort transcription from a scanned PDF. Minor errors may remain — the linked PDF is authoritative.
GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF LAW
40 Capitol Square SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30334-1300
CHRISTOPHER M. CARR www.law.ga.gov
ATTORNEY GENERAL (404) 458-3600
OFFICIAL OPINION
Ms. Rhonda Westbrook
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Division Director, Georgia Crime Information Center
P.O. Box 370808
Decatur, Georgia 30037-0808
Re: 2025 Update of Crimes and Offenses for Which the Georgia Crime Information Center is Authorized to Collect and File Fingerprints
Dear Ms. Westbrook,
You have requested in your letter of January 8, 2026, my opinion concerning whether any of the following misdemeanor offenses, some of which were enacted during the 2025 Session of the General Assembly and others which were enacted prior to that time (but for which no request for a fingerprintable designation was made), should be designated as offenses for which persons arrested or taken into custody are to be fingerprinted. Pursuant to Georgia law, I make the following designations in relation to your question.
Generally, under Georgia law, in addition to the determination of fingerprintable offenses which the General Assembly may mandate by statute, O.C.G.A. § 35-3-33(a)(1)(A)(v) provides that the Attorney General may designate any other offense as one for which those charged with violations are to be fingerprinted. See, e.g., 2021 Op. Att'y Gen. 2021-1; 2020 Op. Att'y Gen. 2020-4; 2020 Op. Att'y Gen. 2020-1; 2019 Op. Att'y Gen. 2019-3; 2018 Op. Att'y Gen. 2018-3, 2017 Op. Att'y Gen. 2017-1.
The offenses under review from the 2025 Session of the General Assembly include: O.C.G.A. § 4-11-10.1(b) (transfer of domestic animals along public areas; enforcement; fines); O.C.G.A. § 6-1-4(d) (regulation of the testing or operation of unmanned aircraft system; preemption; unauthorized operation at ticketed entertainment event; penalty; exemptions); O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1181(a) (disrupting operation of public school, public school bus, or school bus stop; penalty; progressive discipline); O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1181.1(b) (terroristic threat or acts against a school; penalty); O.C.G.A. § 21-5-16 (soliciting the organization of political events on school property); O.C.G.A. § 45-11-8(a)(2) (engaging in bail bond business).
The offense under review from a prior legislative session is O.C.G.A. § 16-10-35(b) (obstructing emergency personnel with fireworks).
The first misdemeanor offense is O.C.G.A. § 4-11-10.1(b). This Code section makes it unlawful for a person to engage in the transfer of any dog, cat, or domestic rabbit at any roadside, public right of way, parkway, median, public or commercial parking lot or sidewalk, park, recreation area, fair, transient or seasonal flea market, or a similar transient market or outdoor location, regardless of whether this activity is otherwise authorized by any person or entity. I hereby designate misdemeanor offenses arising under O.C.G.A. § 4-11-10.1(b) as offenses for which those charged are to be fingerprinted.
The second misdemeanor offense is O.C.G.A. § 6-1-4(d). This Code section makes it unlawful (with some limited exceptions) for a person to operate an unmanned aircraft system within 400 feet of or above a ticketed entertainment event. I hereby designate misdemeanor offenses arising under O.C.G.A. § 6-1-4(d) as offenses for which those charged are to be fingerprinted.
The third misdemeanor offense is O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1181.1(a). This Code section makes it unlawful for a person to knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly disrupt, or interfere with the operation of any public school, public school bus, or public school bus stop as designated by local boards of education. I hereby designate misdemeanor offenses arising under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1181.1(a) as offenses for which those charged are to be fingerprinted.
The fourth misdemeanor offense is O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1181.1(b). This Code section makes it unlawful for a person to make a terroristic threat against a school. I hereby designate misdemeanor offenses arising under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1181.1(b) as offenses for which those charged are to be fingerprinted.
The fifth misdemeanor offense is O.C.G.A. § 21-5-16. This Code section makes it unlawful for a candidate, campaign committee, or political action committee to solicit a minor to fraudulently organize an event on the property of a local school system when the purpose of the event is influencing the nomination for election or election of any person for office, bringing about the recall of a public officer holding elective office, or the influencing of voter approval or rejection of a proposed constitutional amendment, a state-wide referendum, or a proposed question which is to appear on the ballot in this state or in a county or a municipal election in this state when the event is otherwise prohibited by law or by policy of the local school system or an individual school thereof. I hereby designate misdemeanor offenses arising under O.C.G.A. § 21-5-16 as offenses for which those charged are to be fingerprinted.
The sixth misdemeanor offense is O.C.G.A. § 45-11-8(a)(2). This Code section makes it unlawful for a member of a governing authority of a county, municipal corporation, or consolidated government to directly or indirectly engage in the bail bond business within the county, municipal corporation, or consolidated government where said member holds office. I hereby designate misdemeanor offenses arising under O.C.G.A. § 45-11-8(a)(2) as offenses for which those charged are to be fingerprinted.
The seventh misdemeanor offense is O.C.G.A. § 16-10-35(b). This Code section makes it unlawful for a person to knowingly and intentionally ignite a firework when the firework or a component thereof explodes or detonates with 150 feet of or causes injury or harm to an emergency medical technician, firefighter, or law enforcement officer for the purpose of hindering or disrupting such medical technician, firefighter, or law enforcement officer during the lawful discharge of their duties. I hereby designate misdemeanor offenses arising under O.C.G.A. § 16-10-35(b) as offenses for which those charged are to be fingerprinted.
Issued this 24th day of March, 2026.
CHRISTOPHER M. CARR
Attorney General
Prepared by:
Elliot Meyer Dordick
Assistant Attorney General