ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia lawmakers are seeking to raise the penalties for people who flee from police.
The House voted 95-62 on Thursday to approve House Bill 1216, sending it the Senate for more debate.
The measure says that anyone convicted of fleeing from the police for a fourth time would be convicted of a felony.
Right now, all offenses of fleeing from police in Georgia are high and aggravated misdemeanors. That's a category of misdemeanor that carries higher penalties than regular misdemeanors.
Supporters cite more than 500 pursuits conducted by state troopers in metro Atlanta since April 2021.
