(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) "VA" means the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

(2) "Veteran" means a person who is a former member of the armed forces of the United States or a state's National Guard.

(b)

(1) Any court that has jurisdiction over criminal cases may establish a veterans court division to provide an alternative to the traditional judicial system for disposition of cases in which the defendant is a veteran.

(2) In any criminal case in which a defendant is a veteran and the defendant meets the eligibility criteria for the veterans court division, the court may refer the case to the veterans court division:

(A) Prior to the entry of the sentence, if the prosecuting attorney consents;

(B) As part of a sentence in a case; or

(C) Upon consideration of a petition to revoke probation.

(3) Each veterans court division shall establish a planning group to develop a written work plan. The planning group shall include judges, prosecuting attorneys, sheriffs or their designees, public defenders, community supervision officers, and persons having expertise in services available to veterans. The work plan shall address the operational, coordination, resource, information management, and evaluation needs of the veterans court division. The work plan shall include veterans court division policies and practices related to implementing the standards and practices developed pursuant to paragraph (4) of this subsection. The veterans court division shall combine judicial supervision, treatment of veterans court division participants, and drug and mental health testing. The work plan shall include eligibility criteria for the veterans court division. Defendants charged with murder, armed robbery, rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated sexual battery, aggravated child molestation, or child molestation shall not be eligible for entry into the veterans court division, except in the case of a separate court supervised reentry program designed to more closely monitor veterans returning to the community after having served a term of incarceration. Any such court supervised community reentry program for mentally ill offenders shall be subject to the work plan as provided for in this paragraph.

(4) (A) The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall adopt standards and practices for veterans court divisions, taking into consideration guidelines and principles based on available current research and findings published by experts on veterans' health needs and treatment options, including, but not limited to, the VA and the Georgia Department of Veterans Service. The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall update its standards and practices to incorporate research, findings, and developments in the veterans court field if any such research, findings, or developments are created. Each veterans court division shall adopt policies and practices that will be consistent with any standards and practices published by the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia.

(B) The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall provide technical assistance to veterans court divisions to assist them with the implementation of policies and practices, including, but not limited to, guidance on the implementation of risk and needs assessments in veterans court divisions.

(C) The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall create and manage a certification and peer review process to ensure veterans court divisions are adhering to the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia's standards and practices and shall create a waiver process for veterans court divisions to seek an exception to the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia's standards and practices. In order to receive state appropriated funds, any veterans court division established on and after July 1, 2017, shall be certified pursuant to this subparagraph or, for good cause shown to the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia, shall receive a waiver from the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia.

(D) On and after July 1, 2017, the award of any state funds for a veterans court division shall be conditioned upon a veterans court division attaining certification or a waiver by the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia. On or before September 1, the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall publish an annual report listing certified veterans court divisions.

(E) The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia and the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform shall develop and manage an electronic information system for performance measurement and accept submission of performance data in a consistent format from all veterans court divisions. The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall identify elements necessary for performance measurement, including, but not limited to, recidivism, the number of moderate-risk and high-risk participants in a veterans court division, drug testing results, drug testing failures, participant employment, the number of participants who successfully complete the program, and the number of participants who fail to complete the program.

(F) On or before July 1, 2018, and every three years thereafter, the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall conduct a performance peer review of the veterans court divisions for the purpose of improving veterans court division policies and practices and the certification and recertification process.

(5) The court instituting the veterans court division may request the district attorney for the judicial circuit or solicitor-general for the state court for the jurisdiction to designate one or more prosecuting attorneys to serve in the veterans court division and may request the circuit public defender, if any, to designate one or more assistant public defenders to serve in the veterans court division.

(6) The clerk of the court instituting the veterans court division or such clerk's designee shall serve as the clerk of the veterans court division.

(7) The court instituting the veterans court division may request other employees of the court to perform duties for the veterans court division. Such employees shall perform duties as directed by the judges of the veterans court division.

(8) The court instituting the veterans court division may enter into agreements with other courts and agencies for the assignment of personnel from other courts and agencies to the veterans court division, including probation supervision.

(9) Expenses for salaries, equipment, services, and supplies incurred in implementing this Code section may be paid from state funds, funds of the county or political subdivision implementing such veterans court division, federal grant funds, and funds from private donations.

(c)

(1) Each veterans court division shall establish written criteria that define the successful completion of the veterans court division program.

(2) If the veterans court division participant successfully completes the veterans court division program prior to the entry of judgment, the case against the veterans court division participant may be dismissed by the prosecuting attorney.

(3) If the veterans court division participant successfully completes the veterans court division program as part of a sentence imposed by the court, the sentence of the veterans court division participant may be reduced or modified.

(4) Any plea of guilty or nolo contendere entered pursuant to this Code section shall not be withdrawn without the consent of the court.

(d) Any statement made by a veterans court division participant as part of participation in such court, or any report made by the staff of the court or program connected to the court, regarding a participant's mental health shall not be admissible as evidence against the participant in any legal proceeding or prosecution; provided, however, that if the participant violates the conditions of his or her participation in the division or is terminated from the veterans court division, the reasons for the violation or termination may be considered in sanctioning, sentencing, or otherwise disposing of the participant's case.

(e) Nothing contained in this Code section shall be construed to permit a judge to impose, modify, or reduce a sentence below the minimum sentence required by law.

(f) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, veterans court division staff shall be provided, upon request, with access to all records relevant to the treatment of the veterans court division participant from any state or local government agency, except records declared confidential by Code Section 49-5-40 to which access may be obtained pursuant to Code Section 49-5-41. All records and the contents thereof shall be treated as confidential, shall not be disclosed to any person outside of the veterans court division, and shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50 or subject to subpoena, discovery, or introduction into evidence in any civil or criminal proceeding. Such records and the contents thereof shall be maintained by the veterans court division and originating court in a confidential file not available to the public.

(g) Any fees received by a veterans court division from a veterans court division participant as payment for veterans services shall not be considered as court costs or a fine.

(h) The court shall have the authority to accept grants, donations, and other proceeds from outside sources for the purpose of supporting the veterans court division. Any such grants, donations, or proceeds shall be retained by the veterans court division for expenses and shall be accounted for as set forth in subparagraph (b)(4)(F) of this Code section.