FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 26, 2005

ATLANTA—Majority Leader Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons) today reiterated the call made by Republicans earlier this summer for tougher laws regarding sex offenders and sexual predators.

“Sex offenders and sexual predators continue to threaten Georgia’s families and Georgia’s children,” Keen said. “The dangers lurk in internet chat room, school class rooms, neighborhood parks and even in our own homes. Earlier this summer, I was joined by Speaker Richardson and House Republicans in a call for tougher laws and longer sentences for those sexual offenders who prey on our children. I am continuing to meet with our state’s law enforcement and district attorneys, and when the legislature returns in 2006 we will move quickly to crack down on anyone who preys on innocent children.”

House Republicans have committed to examine Georgia’s laws regarding sex offenders and sexual predators, and to explore ways to strengthen current laws. Areas already being discussed for legislative action include:

• Georgia law currently only classifies a convicted individual as a “sexual predator” if that individual has been convicted of an aggravated sexual assault such as rape. Those individuals who prey on children over the internet are not classified as a “sexual predator” nor are those convicted of child molestation.
• Extend to time a sex offender must remain on the state registration from 10 to 20 years.
• Increase penalties for those convicted individuals who violate the conditions of their registration.
• Real time monitoring of sexual predators.
• Make it a crime to harbor a sex offender.
• Restrict employment of a registered sex offender and sexual predators to within 1,000 feet of a child care facility, school or area where minors congregate.
• During the 2005 legislative session, the General Assembly did adopt House Bill 188 requiring a sex offenders’ photograph to be published in the local newspaper once they are released from prison but this law could be expanded to publish sex offenders’ photographs in the local news paper once a year.

House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee Chairman David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) has already indicated that his committee will meet this fall to begin work on Keen’s legislation so that action can be taken on the bills early during the next legislative session.

There are currently 9,800 individuals on the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Sex Offender Registry. There are currently 261 sex offenders on parole and 5,000 on probation in Georgia.

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