For months, local law enforcement agencies have been asking for help from state legislators to increase deputy pay.
Now, there's a new bill in the state Senate that could do just that.
Jones County Deputy Michael Wood says his brother inspired him to become a deputy.
“My brother was in law enforcement, but he got out recently,” said Wood.
Because, like many deputies, it's tough to raise a family on a salary that's less than $25,000 dollars a year. That’s a typical salary in many Central Georgia counties.
“I know he quit because he needed to help his wife and make ends meet,” said Wood.
“We're having a difficult time attracting, keeping, and retaining good professional law enforcement agents,” said Maj. Carl Humphries with the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.
So to give deputies like Michael more financial security, Senate Bill 254 is a bill that lawmakers say will increase deputies' starting salaries to $40,000 dollars per year.
“It mandates that they're paid the same rate as highway patrol officers are paid, as well as creates a commission that looks into the pay scales throughout the state,” said Senator Michael Williams, District 27.
But the big questions are how much would that pay raise cost and where is the money coming from?
“That is the question of the hour. To be honest with you I'm not sure,” said Sen. Williams.
Legislators are looking for ways to pay for it.
“There's lots of ideas floating around, [and] one of those is to offer a law enforcement sales tax,” said Sen. Williams.
But would people be willing to pay extra to Back the Blue?
“I think they would. I want to see it. If I can see it, then I know it's money well spent,” said Maj. Humphries.
Wood says he thinks that if deputies don't see a pay raise soon, more will be hanging up their badges.
“When I have kids and a family, I'm not sure I could stay in this much longer,” said Wood.
The bill had its first read in the senate last Friday. Senator Williams says he expects a committee hearing on the bill this week.