06 HB 1059/AP
House Bill 1059 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Keen of the 179th,
Ralston of the 7th,
Burkhalter of the 50th,
Freeman of the 140th,
Thomas of the 55th,
and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Titles 16, 17, 35, and 42 of the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating respectively to crimes and
offenses, criminal procedure, law enforcement officers and agencies, and
penal institutions, so as to change provisions relating to sexual offenders;
to change punishment provisions, registration requirements, and residency
requirements for sexual offenders; to provide for legislative findings; to
change punishment provisions related to aggravated assault with the intent
to rape; to change punishment provisions related to kidnapping; to change
punishment provisions related to false imprisonment; to change punishment
provisions related to rape; to change certain provisions relating to sodomy
and aggravated sodomy; to provide for lesser punishment for certain sexual
offenses committed by persons of certain ages; to change certain provisions
relating to statutory rape; to change certain provisions relating to child
molestation and aggravated child molestation; to change certain provisions
relating to enticing a child for indecent purposes; to change certain
provisions relating to persons convicted of sexual assault against persons
in custody; to change certain provisions relating to incest; to change
certain provisions relating to sexual battery; to change certain provisions
relating to aggravated sexual battery; to change certain restrictions on
granting an appeal bond; to allow for judicial discretion for mandatory
minimum sentences under certain circumstances; to create a new crime
involving withholding information concerning a sexual offender and provide
for penalties; to change a provision relating to the fixing of a sentence by
a judge; to change certain provisions relating to punishment of serious
violent offenders and increase the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment
for certain offenses; to require persons convicted of certain sexual crimes
to receive a mandatory split sentence including a minimum sentence of
imprisonment; to add a provision relating to statutory aggravating
circumstances for the imposition of the death penalty; to require the
Georgia Crime Information Center to collect certain data; to provide that
notice of conviction and release of a person who is required to register as
a sexual offender shall be made for offenders sentenced directly to
probation or who are newly established residents in a county; to permit
publication of such notice in the legal organ of the county in which such
person resides based on information available; to reorganize and change
provisions related to the State Sexual Offender Registry; to change and add
certain definitions; to change provisions relating to registration
requirements for sexual offenders; to provide for an annual registration
fee; to provide that sexual offenders register prior to release from prison;
to require each sheriff to maintain and update a list of all sexual
offenders residing in the county; to provide for duties and responsibilities
for sheriffs, the Department of Corrections, the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation, and sexual offenders; to require registered sexual offenders
to verify required registration information with the sheriff whenever any
changes occur to certain information and verify information at least
annually within 72 hours of the sexual offendeŕs
birthday; to increase the duration for registration requirement; to provide
for a procedure for certain sexual offenders to petition a court to be
relieved of registration requirements; to require the sheriff to notify
certain people and entities of the presence of sexual offenders in their
community; to increase punishment for failure to comply with registration
requirements; to change the appointing authority for the Sexual Offender
Registration Review Board; to require the Sexual Offender Registration
Review Board to classify sexual offenders; to require sexually dangerous
predators to wear an electronic monitoring system for the balance of his or
her life and to pay for such system; to require sexually dangerous predators
to update required registration information twice yearly; to provide for
employment restrictions for sexual offenders; to prohibit sexual offenders
from loitering in certain locations; to correct cross-references; to change
provisions relating to sexual offenders conditions for parole; to change
provisions relating to chemical treatment and counseling as a condition of
parole for child molesters; to amend Title 5 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to appeal and error, so as to allow the state and the
defendant the right of direct appeal under certain circumstances; to provide
for other related matters; to provide for an effective date and
applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
The General Assembly finds and declares that
recidivist sexual offenders, sexual offenders who use physical violence, and
sexual offenders who prey on children are sexual predators who present an
extreme threat to the public safety. Many sexual offenders are extremely
likely to use physical violence and to repeat their offenses; and some
sexual offenders commit many offenses, have many more victims than are ever
reported, and are prosecuted for only a fraction of their crimes. The
General Assembly finds that this makes the cost of sexual offender
victimization to society at large, while incalculable, clearly exorbitant.
The General Assembly further finds that the high level of threat that a
sexual predator presents to the public safety, and the long-term effects
suffered by victims of sex offenses, provide the state with sufficient
justification to implement a strategy that includes:
(1) Incarcerating sexual offenders and
maintaining adequate facilities to ensure that decisions to release sexual
predators into the community are not made on the basis of inadequate space;
(2) Requiring the registration of sexual
offenders, with a requirement that complete and accurate information be
maintained and accessible for use by law enforcement authorities,
communities, and the public;
(3) Providing for community and public
notification concerning the presence of sexual offenders;
(4) Collecting data relative to sexual
offenses and sexual offenders;
(5) Requiring sexual predators who are
released into the community to wear an electronic monitoring system for the
rest of their natural life and to pay for such system; and
(6) Prohibiting sexual predators from working
with children, either for compensation or as a volunteer.
The General Assembly further finds that the
state has a compelling interest in protecting the public from sexual
offenders and in protecting children from predatory sexual activity, and
there is sufficient justification for requiring sexual offenders to register
and for requiring community and public notification of the presence of
sexual offenders. The General Assembly declares that in order to protect the
public, it is necessary that the sexual offenders be registered and that
members of the community and the public be notified of a sexual offendeŕs
presence. The designation of a person as a sexual offender is neither a
sentence nor a punishment but simply a regulatory mechanism and status
resulting from the conviction of certain crimes. Likewise, the designation
of a person as a sexual predator is neither a sentence nor a punishment but
simply a regulatory mechanism and status resulting from findings by the
Sexual Offender Registration Review Board and a court if requested by a
sexual offender.
SECTION 2.
Title 5 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to appeal and error, is amended by striking subsection
(a) of Code Section 5-6-34, relating to judgments and rulings deemed
directly appealable, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(a)
Appeals may be taken to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals from the
following judgments and rulings of the superior courts, the constitutional
city courts, and such other courts or tribunals from which appeals are
authorized by the Constitution and laws of this state:
(1) All final judgments, that is to say, where
the case is no longer pending in the court below, except as provided in Code
Section 5-6-35;
(2) All judgments involving applications for
discharge in bail trover and contempt cases;
(3) All judgments or orders directing that an
accounting be had;
(4) All judgments or orders granting or
refusing applications for receivers or for interlocutory or final
injunctions;
(5) All judgments or orders granting or
refusing applications for attachment against fraudulent debtors;
(5.1)(6)
Any ruling on a motion which would be dispositive if granted with respect to
a defense that the action is barred by Code Section 16-11-184;
(6)(7)
All judgments or orders granting or refusing to grant mandamus or any other
extraordinary remedy, except with respect to temporary restraining orders;
(7)(8)
All judgments or orders refusing applications for dissolution of
corporations created by the superior courts;
(8)(9)
All judgments or orders sustaining motions to dismiss a caveat to the
probate of a will;
and
(9)(10)
All final judgments of child support;
and
(11) All judgments
or orders entered pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 17-10-6.2."
SECTION 3.
Said title is further amended by striking
subsection (a) of Code Section 5-7-1, relating to orders, decisions, or
judgments appealable by the state, and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
"(a)
An appeal may be taken by and on behalf of the State of Georgia from the
superior courts, state courts, City Court of Atlanta, and juvenile courts
and such other courts from which a direct appeal is authorized to the Court
of Appeals of Georgia and the Supreme Court of Georgia in criminal cases and
adjudication of delinquency cases in the following instances:
(1) From an order, decision, or judgment
setting aside or dismissing any indictment, accusation, or petition alleging
that a child has committed a delinquent act or any count thereof;
(2) From an order, decision, or judgment
arresting judgment of conviction or adjudication of delinquency upon legal
grounds;
(3) From an order, decision, or judgment
sustaining a plea or motion in bar, when the defendant has not been put in
jeopardy;
(4) From an order, decision, or judgment
suppressing or excluding evidence illegally seized or excluding the results
of any test for alcohol or drugs in the case of motions made and ruled upon
prior to the impaneling of a jury or the defendant being put in jeopardy,
whichever occurs first;
(5) From an order, decision, or judgment of a
court where the court does not have jurisdiction or the order is otherwise
void under the Constitution or laws of this state;
(6) From an order, decision, or judgment of a
superior court transferring a case to the juvenile court pursuant to
subparagraph (b)(2)(B) of Code Section 15-11-28;
(7) From an order, decision, or judgment of a
superior court granting a motion for new trial or an extraordinary motion
for new trial;
or
(8) From an order, decision, or judgment
denying a motion by the state to recuse or disqualify a judge made and ruled
upon prior to the defendant being put in jeopardy;
or
(9) From an order,
decision, or judgment issued pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section
17-10-6.2."
SECTION 4.
Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, is amended by striking Code
Section 16-5-21, relating to aggravated assault, and inserting in lieu
thereof the following:
"16-5-21.
(a) A person commits the offense of aggravated
assault when he or she assaults:
(1) With intent to murder, to rape, or to rob;
(2) With a deadly weapon or with any object,
device, or instrument which, when used offensively against a person, is
likely to or actually does result in serious bodily injury; or
(3) A person or persons without legal
justification by discharging a firearm from within a motor vehicle toward a
person or persons.
(b) Except as provided in subsections (c)
through
(i)
(k)
of this Code section, a person convicted of the offense of aggravated
assault shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more
than 20 years.
(c) A person who knowingly commits the offense
of aggravated assault upon a peace officer while the peace officer is
engaged in, or on account of the performance of, his or her official duties
shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less
than five nor more than 20 years.
(d) Any person who commits the offense of
aggravated assault against a person who is 65 years of age or older shall,
upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than three
nor more than 20 years.
(e)(1) As used in this subsection, the term
'correctional officer' shall include superintendents, wardens, deputy
wardens, guards, and correctional officers of state, county, and municipal
penal institutions who are certified by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards
and Training Council pursuant to Chapter 8 of Title 35 and employees of the
Department of Juvenile Justice who are known to be employees of the
department or who have given reasonable identification of their employment.
The term 'correctional officer' shall also include county jail officers who
are certified or registered by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and
Training Council pursuant to Chapter 8 of Title 35.
(2) A person who knowingly commits the offense
of aggravated assault upon a correctional officer while the correctional
officer is engaged in, or on account of the performance of, his or her
official duties shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment
for not less than five nor more than 20 years.
(f) Any person who commits the offense of
aggravated assault in a public transit vehicle or station shall, upon
conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than three nor
more than 20 years. For purposes of this Code section, 'public transit
vehicle' has the same meaning as in subsection (c) of Code Section 16-5-20.
(f.1)(g)
Any person who commits the offense of aggravated assault upon a person in
the course of violating Code Section 16-8-2 where the property that was the
subject of the theft was a vehicle engaged in commercial transportation of
cargo or any appurtenance thereto, including without limitation any such
trailer, semitrailer, container, or other associated equipment, or the cargo
being transported therein or thereon, shall upon conviction be punished by
imprisonment for not less than five years nor more than 20 years, a fine not
less than $50,000.00 nor more than $200,000.00, or both such fine and
imprisonment. For purposes of this subsection, the term 'vehicle' includes
without limitation any railcar.
(g)(h)
A person convicted of an offense described in paragraph (3) of subsection
(a) of this Code section shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than
five nor more than 20 years.
(h)(i)
Any person who commits the offense of aggravated assault involving the use
of a firearm upon a student or teacher or other school personnel within a
school safety zone as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code
Section 16-11-127.1 shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by
imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 20 years.
(i)(j)
If the offense of aggravated assault is committed between past or present
spouses, persons who are parents of the same child, parents and children,
stepparents and stepchildren, foster parents and foster children, or other
persons excluding siblings living or formerly living in the same household,
the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than three nor
more than 20 years.
(k) Any person who
commits the offense of aggravated assault with intent to rape against a
child under the age of 14 years shall be punished by imprisonment for not
less than 25 nor more than 50 years. Any person convicted under this
subsection shall, in addition, be subject to the sentencing and punishment
provisions of Code Section 17-10-6.2."
SECTION 5.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-5-40, relating to kidnapping, and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
"16-5-40.
(a) A person commits the offense of kidnapping
when he abducts or steals away any person without lawful authority or
warrant and holds such person against his will.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of
kidnapping shall be punished by:
(1) Imprisonment
imprisonment for not less than ten nor
more than 20 years,
provided that a person convicted of the offense of kidnapping for ransom
shall be punished by
if the kidnapping
involved a victim who was14 years of age or older;
(2) Imprisonment
for life or by a split sentence that is a term of imprisonment for not less
than 25 years and not exceeding life imprisonment, followed by probation for
life, if the kidnapping involved a victim who is less than 14 years of age;
(3) Life
life
imprisonment or
by
death
and provided, further, that, if the person kidnapped shall have received
bodily injury, the person convicted shall be punished by
if the
kidnapping was for ransom; or
(4) Life
life
imprisonment or
by
death if
the person kidnapped received bodily injury.
(c)
Any person convicted under this Code section shall, in addition, be subject
to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Sections 17-10-6.1 and
17-10-7."
SECTION 6.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-5-41, relating to false imprisonment, and inserting in lieu
thereof the following:
"16-5-41.
(a) A person commits the offense of false
imprisonment when, in violation of the personal liberty of another, he
arrests, confines, or detains such person without legal authority.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of false
imprisonment shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor
more than ten years.
(c) Any person
convicted under this Code section wherein the victim is not the child of the
defendant and the victim is less than 14 years of age shall, in addition, be
subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Section
17-10-6.2."
SECTION 7.
Said title is further amended by striking
subsection (a) of Code Section 16-5-110, relating to the publication of
notices and information required for registered sex offenders, assessment
for costs, and certain immunity, and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
"(a)
When a person who has been convicted of a crime for which that person is
required to register under Code Section 42-1-12 makes his or her first
report to a sheriff after such persońs
release from confinement,
placement on probation, or upon establishing residency in the county,
the sheriff shall cause to be published a notice of conviction and release
from confinement of such person.
Such notice
shall be published in the manner of legal notices in the legal organ of the
county in which person resides. Such
notice shall be one column wide by two inches long and shall contain the
photograph taken by the arresting law enforcement agency at the time of
arrest;
or a
subsequent photograph, the name and
address of the convicted person,
and; if
available, the date, time, place of
arrest,;
and the
disposition of the case.
The notice
and
shall be published
at or near the
time the person registers with the sheriff at least
once, and,
at the sheriff́s
option, may be published more than once,
in the legal organ of the appropriate county
in the second
week following such persońs
release from confinement or as soon thereafter as publication may be made.
The notice shall include the address of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation
website for additional information regarding the sexual offender registry."
SECTION 8.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-6-1, relating to rape, and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
"16-6-1.
(a) A person commits the offense of rape when
he has carnal knowledge of:
(1) A female forcibly and against her will; or
(2) A female who is less than ten years of
age.
Carnal knowledge in rape occurs when there is
any penetration of the female sex organ by the male sex organ. The fact that
the person allegedly raped is the wife of the defendant shall not be a
defense to a charge of rape.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of rape
shall be punished by death, by imprisonment for life without parole, by
imprisonment for life, or by
a split sentence
that is a term of imprisonment for not
less than
ten nor more
than 20
25
years and
not exceeding life imprisonment, followed by probation for life.
Any person convicted under this Code section shall, in addition, be subject
to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Sections 17-10-6.1 and
17-10-7.
(c) When evidence relating to an allegation of
rape is collected in the course of a medical examination of the person who
is the victim of the alleged crime, the law enforcement agency investigating
the alleged crime shall be responsible for the cost of the medical
examination to the extent that expense is incurred for the limited purpose
of collecting evidence."
SECTION 9.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-6-2, relating to sodomy and aggravated sodomy, and inserting in
lieu thereof the following:
"16-6-2.
(a)(1)
A person commits the offense of sodomy when he or she performs or submits to
any sexual act involving the sex organs of one person and the mouth or anus
of another.
(2)
A person commits the offense of aggravated sodomy when he or she commits
sodomy with force and against the will of the other person or when he or she
commits sodomy with a person who is less than ten years of age. The fact
that the person allegedly sodomized is the spouse of a defendant shall not
be a defense to a charge of aggravated sodomy.
(b)(1)
Except as provided in subsection (d) of this Code section, a
A
person convicted of the offense of sodomy shall be punished by imprisonment
for not less than one nor more than 20 years
and shall be
subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Section
17-10-6.2.
(2)
A person convicted of the offense of aggravated sodomy shall be punished by
imprisonment for life or by
a split sentence
that is a term of imprisonment for not
less than
ten nor more
than 30
25
years and
not exceeding life imprisonment, followed by probation for life.
Any person convicted under this Code section of the offense of aggravated
sodomy shall, in addition, be subject to the sentencing and punishment
provisions of Code Sections 17-10-6.1 and 17-10-7.
(c) When evidence relating to an allegation of
aggravated sodomy is collected in the course of a medical examination of the
person who is the victim of the alleged crime, the law enforcement agency
investigating the alleged crime shall be financially responsible for the
cost of the medical examination to the extent that expense is incurred for
the limited purpose of collecting evidence.
(d) If the victim
is at least 13 but less than 16 years of age and the person convicted of
sodomy is 18 years of age or younger and is no more than four years older
than the victim, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall not
be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Section
17-10-6.2."
SECTION 10.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-6-3, relating to statutory rape, and inserting in lieu thereof
the following:
"16-6-3.
(a) A person commits the offense of statutory
rape when he or she engages in sexual intercourse with any person under the
age of 16 years and not his or her spouse, provided that no conviction shall
be had for this offense on the unsupported testimony of the victim.
(b)
Except as provided
in subsection (c) of this Code section, a
A
person convicted of the offense of statutory rape shall be punished by
imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 20 years; provided,
however, that if the person so convicted is 21 years of age or older, such
person shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than ten nor more than
20 years;
provided, further, that if.
Any person convicted under this subsection of the offense of statutory rape
shall, in addition, be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions
of Code Section 17-10-6.2.
(c) If
the victim is
14 or 15
at least 14
but less than 16 years of age and the
person
so convicted
of statutory rape
is 18 years of age or younger and is no
more than
three
four
years older than the victim, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor."
SECTION 11.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-6-4, relating to child molestation and aggravated child
molestation, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"16-6-4.
(a) A person commits the offense of child
molestation when he or she does any immoral or indecent act to or in the
presence of or with any child under the age of 16 years with the intent to
arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the person.
(b)(1)
Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a
A
person convicted of a first offense of child molestation shall be punished
by imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 20 years
and shall be
subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Sections
17-10-6.2 and 17-10-7.
Upon such first
conviction of the offense of child molestation, the judge may probate the
sentence; and such probation may be upon the special condition that the
defendant undergo a mandatory period of counseling administered by a
licensed psychiatrist or a licensed psychologist. However, if the judge
finds that such probation should not be imposed, he or she shall sentence
the defendant to imprisonment; provided, further, that upon a defendant́s
Upon a
defendant being incarcerated on a
conviction for
such
a
first offense, the Department of Corrections shall provide counseling to
such defendant.
Except as provided
in paragraph (2) of this subsection, upon
Upon
a second or subsequent conviction of an offense of child molestation, the
defendant shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than ten years nor
more than 30 years or by imprisonment for life
and shall be
subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Sections
17-10-6.2 and 17-10-7; provided,
however, that prior to trial, a defendant shall be given notice, in writing,
that the state intends to seek a punishment of life imprisonment.
Adjudication of
guilt or imposition of sentence for a conviction of a second or subsequent
offense of child molestation, including a plea of nolo contendere, shall not
be suspended, probated, deferred, or withheld.
(2) If the victim
is at least 14 but less than 16 years of age and the person convicted of
child molestation is 18 years of age or younger and is no more than four
years older than the victim, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
and shall not be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code
Section 17-10-6.2.
(c) A person commits the offense of aggravated
child molestation when such person commits an offense of child molestation
which act physically injures the child or involves an act of sodomy.
(d)(1)
Except as provided
in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a
A
person convicted of the offense of aggravated child molestation shall be
punished by imprisonment for
life or by a split
sentence that is a term of imprisonment for
not less than
ten nor more
than 30
25
years and
not exceeding life imprisonment, followed by probation for life,.
Any person convicted under this Code section of the offense of aggravated
child molestation shall, in addition,
and shall
be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Sections
17-10-6.1 and 17-10-7.
(2) A person convicted of the offense of
aggravated child molestation when:
(A) The victim is
at least 13 but less than 16 years of age;
(B) The person
convicted of aggravated child molestation is 18 years of age or younger and
is no more than four years older than the victim; and
(C) The basis of
the charge of aggravated child molestation involves an act of sodomy
shall be guilty of
a misdemeanor and shall not be subject to the sentencing and punishment
provisions of Code Section 17-10-6.1.
(2) The court
sentencing a person who has been convicted of a first offense of aggravated
child molestation when the victim is 16 years of age or younger at the time
of the offense is authorized to require, before sentencing, that the
defendant undergo a psychiatric evaluation to ascertain whether or not
medroxyprogesterone acetate chemical treatment or its equivalent would be
effective in changing the defendant́s
behavior. If it is determined by a qualified mental health professional that
such treatment would be effective, the court may require, as a condition of
probation and upon provisions arranged between the court and the defendant,
the defendant to undergo medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment or its
chemical equivalent which must be coupled with treatment by a qualified
mental health professional. In case of a person sentenced to probation who
is required to undergo such treatment or its chemical equivalent and is in
the custody of a law enforcement agency or confined in a jail at the time of
sentencing, when he or she becomes eligible for probation, such person shall
begin medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment and counseling prior to his or
her release from custody or confinement. A person sentenced to probation who
is required to undergo such treatment and who is not in the custody of a law
enforcement agency or confined in a jail at the time of sentencing shall be
taken into custody or confined until treatment can begin. Additional
treatment may continue after such defendant́s
release from custody or confinement until the defendant demonstrates to the
court that such treatment is no longer necessary. No such treatment shall be
administered until such person has been fully informed of the side effects
of hormonal chemical treatment and has consented to the treatment in
writing. The administration of the treatment shall conform to the procedures
and conditions set out in subsection (c) of Code Section 42-9-44.2.
(3) Any
physician or qualified mental health professional who acts in good faith in
compliance with the provisions of this Code section and subsection (c) of
Code Section 42-9-44.2 in the administration of treatment or provision of
counseling provided for in this Code section shall be immune from civil or
criminal liability for his or her actions in connection with such treatment
or counseling."
SECTION 12.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-6-5, relating to enticing a child for indecent purposes, and
inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"16-6-5.
(a) A person commits the offense of enticing a
child for indecent purposes when he or she solicits, entices, or takes any
child under the age of 16 years to any place whatsoever for the purpose of
child molestation or indecent acts.
(b)
Except as provided
in subsection (c) of this Code section, a
A
person convicted of the offense of enticing a child for indecent purposes
shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than
one
ten
nor more than
20
30
years. Any
person convicted under this Code section of the offense of enticing a child
for indecent purposes shall, in addition, be subject to the sentencing and
punishment provisions of Code Section 17-10-6.2.
Upon a
first conviction of the offense of enticing a child for indecent purposes,
the judge may probate the sentence; and such probation may be upon the
special condition that the defendant undergo a mandatory period of
counseling administered by a licensed psychiatrist or a licensed
psychologist. However, if the judge finds that such probation should not be
imposed, he shall sentence the defendant to imprisonment. Upon a second or
third conviction of such offense, the defendant shall be punished by
imprisonment for not less than five years. For a fourth or subsequent
conviction of the offense of enticing a child for indecent purposes, the
defendant shall be punished by imprisonment for 20 years. Adjudication of
guilt or imposition of sentence for a conviction of a third, fourth, or
subsequent offense of enticing a child for indecent purposes, including a
plea of nolo contendere, shall not be suspended, probated, deferred, or
withheld.
(c) If the victim
is at least 14 but less than 16 years of age and the person convicted of
enticing a child for indecent purposes is 18 years of age or younger and is
no more than four years older than the victim, such person shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor and shall not be subject to the sentencing and punishment
provisions of Code Section 17-10-6.2."
SECTION 13.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-6-5.1, relating to sexual assault against persons in custody, and
inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"16-6-5.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Actor' means a person accused of sexual
assault.
(2) 'Intimate parts' means the genital area,
groin, inner thighs, buttocks, or breasts of a person.
(3) 'Psychotherapy' means the professional
treatment or counseling of a mental or emotional illness, symptom, or
condition.
(4) 'Sexual contact' means any contact
between
for the
purpose of sexual gratification of the
actor and a
person not married to the actor involving
with
the intimate parts of
a person not
married to the actor
either person for
the purpose of sexual gratification of the actor.
(b) A probation or parole officer or other
custodian or supervisor of another person referred to in this Code section
commits sexual assault when he
or she
engages in sexual contact with another person who is a probationer or
parolee under the supervision of said probation or parole officer or who is
in the custody of law or who is enrolled in a school or who is detained in
or is a patient in a hospital or other institution and such actor has
supervisory or disciplinary authority over such other person. A person
convicted of sexual assault shall be punished by imprisonment for not less
than one
ten
nor more than
three
30
years;
provided, however, that any person convicted of the offense of sexual
assault under this subsection of a child under the age of 14 years shall be
punished by imprisonment for not less than 25 nor more than 50 years. Any
person convicted under this subsection of the offense of sexual assault
shall, in addition, be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions
of Code Section 17-10-6.2.
(c)(1) A person commits sexual assault when
such person has supervisory or disciplinary authority over another person
and such person engages in sexual contact with that other person who is:
(A) In the custody of law; or
(B) Detained in or is a patient in a hospital
or other institution.
(2) A person commits sexual assault when, as
an actual or purported practitioner of psychotherapy, he or she engages in
sexual contact with another person who the actor knew or should have known
is the subject of the actoŕs
actual or purported treatment or counseling, or, if the treatment or
counseling relationship was used to facilitate sexual contact between the
actor and said person.
(3) Consent of the victim shall not be a
defense to a prosecution under this subsection.
(4) A person convicted of sexual assault under
this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than
one
ten
nor more than
three
30
years;
provided, however, that any person convicted of the offense of sexual
assault under this subsection of a child under the age of 14 years shall be
punished by imprisonment for not less than 25 nor more than 50 years. Any
person convicted under this subsection of the offense of sexual assault
shall, in addition, be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions
of Code Section 17-10-6.2.
(d) A person who is an employee, agent, or
volunteer at any facility licensed or required to be licensed under Code
Section 31-7-3, relating to long-term care facilities, or Code Section
31-7-12, relating to personal care homes, or who is required to be licensed
pursuant to Code Section 31-7-151 or 31-7-173, relating to home health care
and hospices, commits sexual assault when such person engages in sexual
contact with another person who has been admitted to or is receiving
services from such facility, person, or entity. A person convicted of sexual
assault pursuant to this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for
not less than
one
ten
nor more than
five
30
years, or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both. Any violation of this
subsection shall constitute a separate offense.
Any person
convicted under this subsection of the offense of sexual assault shall, in
addition, be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code
Section 17-10-6.2."
SECTION 14.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-6-22, relating to incest, and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
"16-6-22.
(a) A person commits the offense of incest
when he
the person
engages in sexual intercourse with a person to whom he
or she
knows he or
she is related either by blood or by
marriage as follows:
(1) Father and daughter or stepdaughter;
(2) Mother and son or stepson;
(3) Brother and sister of the whole blood or
of the half blood;
(4) Grandparent and grandchild;
(5) Aunt and nephew; or
(6) Uncle and niece.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of
incest shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than
one
ten
nor more than
20
30
years;
provided, however, that any person convicted of the offense of incest under
this subsection with a child under the age of 14 years shall be punished by
imprisonment for not less than 25 nor more than 50 years. Any person
convicted under this Code section of the offense of incest shall, in
addition, be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code
Section 17-10-6.2."
SECTION 15.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-6-22.1, relating to sexual battery, and inserting in lieu thereof
the following:
"16-6-22.1.
(a) For the purposes of this Code section, the
term 'intimate parts' means the primary genital area, anus, groin, inner
thighs, or buttocks of a male or female and the breasts of a female.
(b) A person commits the offense of sexual
battery when he
or she
intentionally makes physical contact with the intimate parts of the body of
another person without the consent of that person.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this Code
section, a person convicted of the offense of sexual battery shall be
punished as for a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
(d) A person convicted of the offense of
sexual battery against any child under the age of 16 years shall be guilty
of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment
for not less than one nor more than five years.
(e) Upon a second
or subsequent conviction under subsection (b) of this Code section, a person
shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be
imprisoned for not less than one nor more than five years and, in addition,
shall be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Section
17-10-6.2."
SECTION 16.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 16-6-22.2, relating to aggravated sexual battery, and inserting in
lieu thereof the following:
"16-6-22.2.
(a) For the purposes of this Code section, the
term 'foreign object' means any article or instrument other than the sexual
organ of a person.
(b) A person commits the offense of aggravated
sexual battery when he
or she
intentionally penetrates with a foreign object the sexual organ or anus of
another person without the consent of that person.
(c) A person convicted of the offense of
aggravated sexual battery shall be punished by imprisonment for
life or by a split
sentence that is a term of imprisonment for
not less than
ten nor more
than 20
25
years and
not exceeding life imprisonment, followed by probation for life,.
Any person convicted under this Code section shall, in addition,
and shall
be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Sections
17-10-6.1 and 17-10-7."
SECTION 17.
Said title is further amended by inserting a
new Code Section 16-6-25 to read as follows:
"16-6-25.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term
'law enforcement unit' means any agency, organ, or department of this state,
or a subdivision or municipality thereof, whose primary functions include
the enforcement of criminal or traffic laws; the preservation of public
order; the protection of life and property; or the prevention, detection, or
investigation of crime. Such term shall also include the Department of
Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
(b) Any person who knows or reasonably
believes that a sexual offender, as defined in Code Section 42-1-12, is not
complying, or has not complied, with the requirements of Code Section
42-1-12 and who, with the intent to assist such sexual offender in eluding a
law enforcement unit that is seeking such sexual offender to question him or
her about, or to arrest him or her for, his or her noncompliance with the
requirements of Code Section 42-1-12:
(1) Harbors, attempts to harbor, or assists
another person in harboring or attempting harbor such sexual offender;
(2) Conceals, attempts to conceal, or assists
another person in concealing or attempting to conceal such sexual offender;
or
(3) Provides information to the law
enforcement unit regarding such sexual offender which the person knows to be
false information
commits a felony and shall be punished by
imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 20 years."
SECTION 18.
Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to criminal procedure, is amended by striking subsection
(g) of Code Section 17-6-1, relating to where offenses are bailable and
appeal bonds, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(g)
No appeal bond shall be granted to any person who has been convicted of
murder, rape, aggravated sodomy, armed robbery, aggravated child
molestation,
child molestation,
kidnapping, trafficking in cocaine or
marijuana, aggravated stalking, or aircraft hijacking and who has been
sentenced to serve a period of incarceration of
seven
five
years or more. The granting of an appeal bond to a person who has been
convicted of any other felony offense or of any misdemeanor offense
involving an act of family violence as defined in Code Section 19-13-1, or
of any offense delineated as a high and aggravated misdemeanor or of any
offense set forth in Code Section 40-6-391, shall be in the discretion of
the convicting court. Appeal bonds shall terminate when the right of appeal
terminates, and such bonds shall not be effective as to any petition or
application for writ of certiorari unless the court in which the petition or
application is filed so specifies."
SECTION 19.
Said title is further amended by striking
paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code Section 17-10-1, relating to the
fixing of a sentence, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(a)(1)
Except in cases in which life imprisonment, life without parole, or the
death penalty may be imposed, upon a verdict or plea of guilty in any case
involving a misdemeanor or felony, and after a presentence hearing, the
judge fixing the sentence shall prescribe a determinate sentence for a
specific number of months or years which shall be within the minimum and
maximum sentences prescribed by law as the punishment for the crime. The
judge imposing the sentence is granted power and authority to suspend or
probate all or any part of the entire sentence under such rules and
regulations as the judge deems proper, including service of a probated
sentence in the sentencing options system, as provided by Article 9 of
Chapter 8 of Title 42, and including the authority to revoke the suspension
or probation when the defendant has violated any of the rules and
regulations prescribed by the court, even before the probationary period has
begun, subject to the conditions set out in this subsection; provided,
however, that such action shall be subject to the provisions of Code
Section
Sections
17-10-6.1
and 17-10-6.2."
SECTION 20.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 17-10-6.1, relating to punishment for serious violent offenders, and
inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"17-10-6.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term
'serious violent felony' means:
(1) Murder or felony murder, as defined in
Code Section 16-5-1;
(2) Armed robbery, as defined in Code Section
16-8-41;
(3) Kidnapping, as defined in Code Section
16-5-40;
(4) Rape, as defined in Code Section 16-6-1;
(5) Aggravated child molestation, as defined
in
subsection (c) of Code Section 16-6-4,
unless subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of Code
Section 16-6-4;
(6) Aggravated sodomy, as defined in Code
Section 16-6-2; or
(7) Aggravated sexual battery, as defined in
Code Section 16-6-22.2.
(b)(1)
Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, any person
convicted of
a
the
serious violent felony
as defined in
paragraphs (2) through (7) of subsection (a) of this Code section
of
kidnapping involving a victim who is 14 years of age or older or armed
robbery shall be sentenced to a
mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and no portion of the
mandatory minimum sentence imposed shall be suspended, stayed, probated,
deferred, or withheld by the sentencing court and shall not be reduced by
any form of pardon, parole, or commutation of sentence by the State Board of
Pardons and Paroles.
(2)
Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the sentence of
any person convicted of the serious violent felony of:
(A) Kidnapping
involving a victim who is less than 14 years of age;
(B) Rape;
(C) Aggravated
child molestation, as defined in subsection (c) of Code Section 16-6-4,
unless subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of Code
Section 16-6-4;
(D) Aggravated
sodomy, as defined in Code Section 16-6-2; or
(E) Aggravated
sexual battery, as defined in Code Section 16-6-22.2
shall, unless
sentenced to life imprisonment, be a split sentence which shall include a
mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 25 years, followed by probation
for life. No portion of the mandatory minimum sentence imposed shall be
suspended, stayed, probated, deferred, or withheld by the sentencing court
and shall not be reduced by any form of pardon, parole, or commutation of
sentence by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
(3)
No person convicted of a serious violent felony
as defined in
subsection (a) of this Code section
shall be sentenced as a first offender pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8 of
Title 42, relating to probation for first offenders, or any other provision
of Georgia law relating to the sentencing of first offenders. The State of
Georgia shall have the right to appeal any sentence which is imposed by the
superior court which does not conform to the provisions of this subsection
in the same manner as is provided for other appeals by the state in
accordance with Chapter 7 of Title 5, relating to appeals or certiorari by
the state.
(c)(1) Except as otherwise provided in
subsection (c) of Code Section 42-9-39, for a first conviction of a serious
violent felony in which the defendant has been sentenced to life
imprisonment, that person shall not be eligible for any form of parole or
early release administered by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles until
that person has served a minimum of
14
30
years in prison. The minimum term of imprisonment shall not be reduced by
any earned time, early release, work release, leave, or other
sentence-reducing measures under programs administered by the Department of
Corrections.
(2) For a first conviction of a serious
violent felony in which the defendant has been sentenced to death but the
sentence of death has been commuted to life imprisonment, that person shall
not be eligible for any form of parole or early release administered by the
State Board of Pardons and Paroles until that person has served a minimum of
25
30
years in prison. The minimum term of imprisonment shall not be reduced by
any earned time, early release, work release, leave, or other
sentence-reducing measures under programs administered by the Department of
Corrections.
(3) Any sentence imposed for the first
conviction of any serious violent felony other than a sentence of life
imprisonment or life without parole or death shall be served in its entirety
as imposed by the sentencing court and shall not be reduced by any form of
parole or early release administered by the State Board of Pardons and
Paroles or by any earned time, early release, work release, leave, or other
sentence-reducing measures under programs administered by the Department of
Corrections, the effect of which would be to reduce the period of
incarceration ordered by the sentencing court.
(d) For purposes of this Code section, a first
conviction of any serious violent felony means that the person has never
been convicted of a serious violent felony under the laws of this state or
of an offense under the laws of any other state or of the United States,
which offense if committed in this state would be a serious violent felony.
Conviction of two or more crimes charged on separate counts of one
indictment or accusation, or in two or more indictments or accusations
consolidated for trial, shall be deemed to be only one conviction."
SECTION 21.
Said title is further amended by adding a new
Code section to follow Code Section 17-10-6.1, relating to punishment for
serious violent offenders, to read as follows:
"17-10-6.2.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term
'sexual offense' means:
(1) Aggravated assault with the intent to
rape, as defined in Code Section 16-5-21;
(2) False imprisonment, as defined in Code
Section 16-5-41, if the victim is not the child of the defendant and the
victim is less than 14 years of age;
(3) Sodomy, as defined in Code Section 16-6-2,
unless subject to the provisions of subsection (d) of Code Section 16-6-2;
(4) Statutory rape, as defined in Code Section
16-6-3, if the person convicted of the crime is 21 years of age or older;
(5) Child molestation, as defined in
subsection (a) of Code Section 16-6-4, unless subject to the provisions of
paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 16-6-4;
(6) Enticing a child for indecent purposes, as
defined in Code Section 16-6-5, unless subject to the provisions of
subsection (c) of Code Section 16-6-5;
(7) Sexual assault against persons in custody,
as defined in Code Section 16-6-5.1;
(8) Incest, as defined in Code Section
16-6-22;
(9) A second or subsequent conviction for
sexual battery, as defined in Code Section 16-6-22.1; or
(10) Sexual exploitation of children, as
defined in Code Section 16-12-100.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of
this Code section, and notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the
contrary, any person convicted of a sexual offense shall be sentenced to a
split sentence which shall include the minimum term of imprisonment
specified in the Code section applicable to the offense. No portion of the
mandatory minimum sentence imposed shall be suspended, stayed, probated,
deferred, or withheld by the sentencing court and such sentence shall
include, in addition to the mandatory imprisonment, an additional probated
sentence of at least one year. No person convicted of a sexual offense shall
be sentenced as a first offender pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8 of Title
42, relating to probation for first offenders, or any other provision of
Georgia law relating to the sentencing of first offenders.
(c)(1) In the court́s
discretion, the court may deviate from the mandatory minimum sentence as set
forth in subsection (b) of this Code section, or any portion thereof,
provided that:
(A) The defendant has no prior conviction of
an offense prohibited by Chapter 6 of Title 16 or Part 2 of Article 3 of
Chapter 12 of Title 16, nor a prior conviction for any offense under federal
law or the laws of another state or territory of the United States which
consists of the same or similar elements of offenses prohibited by Chapter 6
of Title 16 or Part 2 of Article 3 of Chapter 12 of Title 16;
(B) The defendant did not use a deadly weapon
or any object, device, or instrument which when used offensively against a
person would be likely to or actually did result in serious bodily injury
during the commission of the offense;
(C) The court has not found evidence of a
relevant similar transaction;
(D) The victim did not suffer any intentional
physical harm during the commission of the offense;
(E) The offense did not involve the
transportation of the victim; and
(F) The victim was not physically restrained
during the commission of the offense.
(2) If the court deviates in sentencing
pursuant to this subsection, the judge shall issue a written order setting
forth the judgés
reasons. Any such order shall be appealable by the defendant pursuant to
Code Section 5-6-34, or by the State of Georgia pursuant to Code Section
5-7-1.
(d) If the court imposes a probated sentence,
the defendant shall submit to review by the Sexual Offender Registration
Review Board for purposes of risk assessment classification within ten days
of being sentenced and shall otherwise comply with Article 2 of Chapter 1 of
Title 42."
SECTION 22.
Said title is further amended in subsection
(b) of Code Section 17-10-30, relating to the procedure for implementation
of the death penalty generally, by striking "or" at the end of paragraph
(9), by adding "; or" at the end of paragraph (10), and by adding a new
paragraph (11) to read as follows:
"(11)
The offense of murder, rape, or kidnapping was committed by a person
previously convicted of rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child
molestation, or aggravated sexual battery."
SECTION 23.
Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to law enforcement officers and agencies, is amended by
striking subparagraph (A) of paragraph (4) of Code Section 35-3-30, relating
to definitions used for the Georgia Crime Information Center article, and
inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(A)
'Criminal history record information' means information collected by
criminal justice agencies on individuals consisting of identifiable
descriptions and notations of arrests, detentions, indictments, accusations,
information, or other formal charges, and any disposition arising therefrom,
sentencing, correctional supervision, and release.
Such term also
includes the age and sex of each victim as provided by criminal justice
agencies. The term does not include
identification information, such as fingerprint records, to the extent that
such information does not indicate involvement of the individual in the
criminal justice system."
SECTION 24.
Title 42 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to penal institutions, is amended by designating Code
Sections 42-1-1 through 42-1-11 as Article 1 of Chapter 1, striking in their
entirety Code Sections 42-1-12 and 42-1-13, and inserting in their place a
new Article 2 to read as follows:
"ARTICLE
2
42-1-12.
(a) As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Address' means the street or route
address of the sexual offendeŕs
residence. For purposes of this Code section, the term does not mean a post
office box, and homeless does not constitute an address.
(2) 'Appropriate official' means:
(A) With respect to a sexual offender who is
sentenced to probation without any sentence of incarceration in the state
prison system or who is sentenced pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8 of this
title, relating to first offenders, the Division of Probation of the
Department of Corrections;
(B) With respect to a sexual offender who is
sentenced to a period of incarceration in a prison under the jurisdiction of
the Department of Corrections and who is subsequently released from prison
or placed on probation, the commissioner of corrections or his or her
designee;
(C) With respect to a sexual offender who is
placed on parole, the chairperson of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles
or his or her designee; and
(D) With respect to a sexual offender who is
placed on probation through a private probation agency, the director of the
private probation agency or his or her designee.
(3) 'Area where minors congregate' shall
include all public and private parks and recreation facilities, playgrounds,
skating rinks, neighborhood centers, gymnasiums, school bus stops, and
public and community swimming pools.
(4) 'Assessment criteria' means the tests that
the board members use to determine the likelihood that a sexual offender
will commit another criminal offense against a victim who is a minor or
commit a dangerous sexual offense.
(5) 'Board' means the Sexual Offender
Registration Review Board.
(6) 'Child care facility' means all public and
private pre-kindergarten facilities, day-care centers, child care learning
centers, preschool facilities, and long-term care facilities for children.
(7) 'Church' means a place of public religious
worship.
(8) 'Conviction' includes a final judgment of
conviction entered upon a verdict or finding of guilty of a crime, a plea of
guilty, or a plea of nolo contendere. A defendant who is discharged without
adjudication of guilt and who is not considered to have a criminal
conviction pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8 of this title, relating to
first offenders, shall be subject to the registration requirements of this
Code section for the period of time prior to the defendant́s
discharge after completion of his or her sentence or upon the defendant
being adjudicated guilty. Unless otherwise required by federal law, a
defendant who is discharged without adjudication of guilt and who is not
considered to have a criminal conviction pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8
of this title, relating to first offenders, shall not be subject to the
registration requirements of this Code section upon the defendant́s
discharge.
(9)(A) 'Criminal offense against a victim who
is a minor' with respect to convictions occurring on or before June 30,
2001, means any criminal offense under Title 16 or any offense under federal
law or the laws of another state or territory of the United States which
consists of:
(i) Kidnapping of a minor, except by a parent;
(ii) False imprisonment of a minor, except by
a parent;
(iii) Criminal sexual conduct toward a minor;
(iv) Solicitation of a minor to engage in
sexual conduct;
(v) Use of a minor in a sexual performance;
(vi) Solicitation of a minor to practice
prostitution; or
(vii) Any conviction resulting from an
underlying sexual offense against a victim who is a minor.
(B) 'Criminal offense against a victim who is
a minor' with respect to convictions occurring after June 30, 2001, means
any criminal offense under Title 16 or any offense under federal law or the
laws of another state or territory of the United States which consists of:
(i) Kidnapping of a minor, except by a parent;
(ii) False imprisonment of a minor, except by
a parent;
(iii) Criminal sexual conduct toward a minor;
(iv) Solicitation of a minor to engage in
sexual conduct;
(v) Use of a minor in a sexual performance;
(vi) Solicitation of a minor to practice
prostitution;
(vii) Use of a minor to engage in any sexually
explicit conduct to produce any visual medium depicting such conduct;
(viii) Creating, publishing, selling,
distributing, or possessing any material depicting a minor or a portion of a
minoŕs
body engaged in sexually explicit conduct;
(ix) Transmitting, making, selling, buying, or
disseminating by means of a computer any descriptive or identifying
information regarding a child for the purpose of offering or soliciting
sexual conduct of or with a child or the visual depicting of such conduct;
(x) Conspiracy to transport, ship, receive, or
distribute visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct;
or
(xi) Any conduct which, by its nature, is a
sexual offense against a minor.
(C) For purposes of subparagraph (a)(9)(B) of
this Code section, conduct which is punished as for a misdemeanor or which
is prosecuted in juvenile court shall not be considered a criminal offense
against a victim who is a minor.
(10)(A) 'Dangerous sexual offense' with
respect to convictions occurring after June 30, 2006, means any criminal
offense under Title 16 as specified in this paragraph or any offense under
federal law or the laws of another state or territory of the United States
which consists of the same or similar elements of the following offenses:
(i) Aggravated assault with the intent to rape
in violation of Code Section 16-5-2;
(ii) Kidnapping in violation of Code Section
16-5-40 which involves a victim who is less than 14 years of age, except by
a parent;
(iii) False imprisonment in violation of Code
Section 16-5-41 which involves a victim who is less than 14 years of age,
except by a parent;
(iv) Rape in violation of Code Section 16-6-1;
(v) Sodomy in violation of Code Section
16-6-2;
(vi) Aggravated sodomy in violation of Code
Section 16-6-2;
(vii) Statutory rape in violation of Code
Section 16-6-3, if the individual convicted of the offense is 21 years of
age or older;
(viii) Child molestation in violation of Code
Section 16-6-4;
(ix) Aggravated child molestation in violation
of Code Section 16-6-4, unless the person was convicted of a misdemeanor
offense;
(x) Enticing a child for indecent purposes in
violation of Code Section 16-6-5;
(xi) Sexual assault against persons in custody
in violation of Code Section 16-6-5.1;
(xii) Incest in violation of Code Section
16-6-22;
(xiii) A second conviction for sexual battery
in violation of Code Section 16-6-22.1;
(xiv) Aggravated sexual battery in violation
of Code Section 16-6-23;
(xv) Sexual exploitation of children in
violation of Code Section 16-12-100;
(xvi) Electronically furnishing obscene
material to minors in violation of Code Section 16-12-100.1;
(xvii) Computer pornography and child
exploitation prevention in violation of Code Section 16-12-100.2;
(xviii) Obscene telephone contact in violation
of Code Section 16-12-100.3; or
(xix) Any conduct which, by its nature, is a
sexual offense against a minor or an attempt to commit a sexual offense
against a minor.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, conduct
which is punished as for a misdemeanor or which is prosecuted in juvenile
court shall not be considered a dangerous sexual offense.
(11) 'Institution of higher education' means a
private or public community college, state university, state college, or
independent postsecondary institution.
(12) 'Level I risk assessment classification'
means the sexual offender is a low sex offense risk and low recidivism risk
for future sexual offenses.
(13) 'Level II risk assessment classification'
means the sexual offender is an intermediate sex offense risk and
intermediate recidivism risk for future sexual offenses and includes all
sexual offenders who do not meet the criteria for classification either as a
sexually dangerous predator or for Level I risk assessment.
(14) 'Minor' means any individual under the
age of 18 years and any individual that the sexual offender believed at the
time of the offense was under the age of 18 years if such individual was the
victim of an offense.
(15) 'Public and community swimming pools'
includes municipal, school, hotel, motel, or any pool to which access is
granted in exchange for payment of a daily fee. The term includes apartment
complex pools, country club pools, or subdivision pools which are open only
to residents of the subdivision and their guests. This term does not include
a private pool or hot tub serving a single-family dwelling and used only by
the residents of the dwelling and their guests.
(16) 'Required registration information'
means:
(A) Name; social security number; age; race;
sex; date of birth; height; weight; hair color, eye color, fingerprints; and
photograph;
(B) Address of any permanent residence and
address of any current temporary residence, within the state or out of
state, and, if applicable in addition to the address, a rural route address
and a post office box;
(C) If the place of residence is a motor
vehicle or trailer, provide the vehicle identification number, the license
tag number, and a description, including color scheme, of the motor vehicle
or trailer;
(D) If the place of residence is a mobile
home, provide the mobile home location permit number; the name and address
of the owner of the home; a description, including the color scheme of the
mobile home; and, if applicable, a description of where the mobile home is
located on the property;
(E) If the place of residence is a
manufactured home, provide the name and address of the owner of the home; a
description, including the color scheme of the manufactured home; and, if
applicable, a description of where the manufactured home is located on the
property;
(F) If the place of residence is a vessel,
live-aboard vessel, or houseboat, provide the hull identification number;
the manufactureŕs
serial number; the name of the vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat; the
registration number; and a description, including color scheme, of the
vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat;
(G) Date of employment, place of any
employment, and address of employer;
(H) Place of vocation and address of the place
of vocation;
(I) Vehicle make, model, color, and license
tag number;
(J) If enrolled, employed, or carrying on a
vocation at an institution of higher education in this state, the name,
address, and county of each institution, including each campus attended, and
enrollment or employment status; and
(K) The name of the crime or crimes for which
the sexual offender is registering and the date released from prison or
placed on probation, parole, or supervised release.
(17) 'Risk assessment classification' means
the notification level into which a sexual offender is placed based on the
board́s
assessment.
(18) 'School' means all public and private
kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools.
(19) 'School bus stop' means a school bus stop
as designated by local school boards of education or by a private school.
(20) 'Sexual offender' means any individual:
(A) Who has been convicted of a criminal
offense against a victim who is a minor or any dangerous sexual offense; or
(B) Who has been convicted under the laws of
another state or territory, under the laws of the United States, under the
Uniform Code of Military Justice, or in a tribal court of a criminal offense
against a victim who is a minor or a dangerous sexual offense.
(21) 'Sexually dangerous predator' means a
sexual offender:
(A) Who was designated as a sexually violent
predator between July 1, 1996, and June 30, 2006; or
(B) Who is determined by the Sexual Offender
Registration Review Board to be at risk of perpetrating any future dangerous
sexual offense.
(22) 'Vocation' means any full-time,
part-time, or volunteer employment with or without compensation exceeding 14
consecutive days or for an aggregate period of time exceeding 30 days during
any calendar year.
(b) Before a sexual offender who is required
to register under this Code section is released from prison or placed on
parole, supervised release, or probation, the appropriate official shall:
(1) Inform the sexual offender of the
obligation to register, the amount of the registration fee, and how to
maintain registration;
(2) Obtain the information necessary for the
required registration information;
(3) Inform the sexual offender that, if the
sexual offender changes any of the required registration information, other
than residence address, the sexual offender shall give the new information
to the sheriff of the county with whom the sexual offender is registered
within 72 hours of the change of information; if the information is the
sexual offendeŕs
new residence address, the sexual offender shall give the information to the
sheriff of the county with whom the sexual offender last registered within
72 hours prior to moving and to the sheriff of the county to which the
sexual offender is moving within 72 hours after the change of information;
(4) Inform the sexual offender that he or she
shall also register in any state where he or she is employed, carries on a
vocation, or is a student;
(5) Inform the sexual offender that, if he or
she changes residence to another state, the sexual offender shall register
the new address with the sheriff of the county with whom the sexual offender
last registered, and that the sexual offender shall also register with a
designated law enforcement agency in the new state within 72 hours after
establishing residence in the new state;
(6) Obtain fingerprints and a current
photograph of the sexual offender;
(7) Require the sexual offender to read and
sign a form stating that the obligations of the sexual offender have been
explained;
(8) Obtain and forward any information
obtained from the clerk of court pursuant to Code Section 42-5-50 to the
sheriff́s
office of the county in which the sexual offender will reside; and
(9) If required by Code Section 42-1-14, place
any required electronic monitoring system on the sexually dangerous predator
and explain its operation and cost.
(c) The Department of Corrections shall:
(1) Forward to the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation a copy of the form stating that the obligations of the sexual
offender have been explained;
(2) Forward any required registration
information to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation;
(3) Forward the sexual offendeŕs
fingerprints and photograph to the sheriff́s
office of the county where the sexual offender is going to reside;
(4) Inform the board and the prosecuting
attorney for the jurisdiction in which a sexual offender was convicted of
the impending release of a sexual offender at least eight months prior to
such release so as to facilitate compliance with Code Section 42-1-14; and
(5) Keep all records of sexual offenders in a
secure facility until official proof of death of a registered sexual
offender and thereafter the records shall be destroyed in accordance with
Code Sections 15-1-10, 15-6-62, and 15-6-62.1.
(d) No sexual offender shall be released from
prison or placed on parole, supervised release, or probation until:
(1) The appropriate official has provided the
Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the sheriff́s
office in the county where the sexual offender will be residing with the
sexual offendeŕs
required registration information and risk assessment classification level;
and
(2) The sexual offendeŕs
name has been added to the list of sexual offenders maintained by the
Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the sheriff́s
office as required by this Code section.
(e) Registration pursuant to this Code section
shall be required by any individual who:
(1) Is convicted on or after July 1, 1996, of
a criminal offense against a victim who is a minor;
(2) Is convicted on or after July 1, 2006, of
a dangerous sexual offense;
(3) Has previously been convicted of a
criminal offense against a minor and may be released from prison or placed
on parole, supervised release, or probation on or after July 1, 1996;
(4) Has previously been convicted of a
sexually violent offense and may be released from prison or placed on
parole, supervised release, or probation;
(5) Is a resident of Georgia who intends to
reside in this state and who is convicted under the laws of another state or
the United States, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or in a
tribal court of a sexually violent offense, a criminal offense against a
victim who is a minor on or after July 1, 1999, or a dangerous sexual
offense on or after July 1, 2006;
(6) Is a nonresident sexual offender who
changes residence from another state or territory of the United States to
Georgia who is required to register as a sexual offender under federal law,
military law, tribal law, or the laws of another state or territory,
regardless of when the conviction occurred;
(7) Is a nonresident sexual offender who
enters this state for the purpose of employment or any other reason for a
period exceeding 14 consecutive days or for an aggregate period of time
exceeding 30 days during any calendar year regardless of whether such sexual
offender is required to register under federal law, military law, tribal
law, or the laws of another state or territory; or
(8) Is a nonresident sexual offender who
enters this state for the purpose of attending school as a full-time or
part-time student regardless of whether such sexual offender is required to
register under federal law, military law, tribal law, or the laws of another
state or territory.
(f) Any sexual offender required to register
under this Code section shall:
(1) Provide the required registration
information to the appropriate official before being released from prison or
placed on parole, supervised release, or probation;
(2) Register with the sheriff of the county in
which the sexual offender resides within 72 hours after the sexual offendeŕs
release from prison or placement on parole, supervised release, probation,
or entry into this state;
(3) Maintain the required registration
information with the sheriff of the county in which the sexual offender
resides;
(4) Renew the required registration
information with the sheriff of the county in which the sexual offender
resides by reporting to the sheriff within 72 hours prior to such offendeŕs
birthday each year to be photographed and fingerprinted;
(5) Update the required registration
information with the sheriff of the county in which the sexual offender
resides within 72 hours of any change to the required registration
information, other than residence address; if the information is the sexual
offendeŕs
new residence address, the sexual offender shall give the information to the
sheriff of the county with whom the sexual offender last registered within
72 hours prior to any change of residence address and to the sheriff of the
county to which the sexual offender is moving within 72 hours after
establishing the new residence;
(6) If convicted of a dangerous sexual offense
on or after July 1, 2006, pay to the sheriff of the county where the sexual
offender resides an annual registration fee of $250.00 upon each anniversary
of such registration; and
(7) Continue to comply with the registration
requirements of this Code section for the entire life of the sexual
offender, including ensuing periods of incarceration.
(g)(1) Any sexual offender required to
register under this Code section who meets the criteria set forth in
paragraph (2) of this Code section may petition the superior court of the
jurisdiction in which the sexual offender is registered to be released from
the registration requirements of this Code section. The court may issue an
order releasing the sexual offender from further registration if the court
finds that the sexual offender does not pose a substantial risk of
perpetrating any future dangerous sexual offense.
(2) In order to petition the court pursuant to
paragraph (1) of this subsection, the sexual offender shall:
(A) Have been sentenced pursuant to subsection
(c) of Code Section 17-10-6.2; and
(B) Have had ten years elapse since his or her
release from prison, parole, supervised release, or probation.
(h)(1) The appropriate official or sheriff
shall, within 72 hours after receipt of the required registration
information, forward such information to the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation. Once the data is entered into the Criminal Justice
Information System by the appropriate official or sheriff, the Georgia Crime
Information Center shall notify the sheriff of the sexual offendeŕs
county of residence, either permanent or temporary, the sheriff of the
county of employment, and the sheriff of the county where the sexual
offender attends an institution of higher education within 24 hours of
entering the data or any change to the data.
(2) The Georgia Bureau of Investigation shall:
(A) Transmit all information, including the
conviction data and fingerprints, to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
within 24 hours of entering the data;
(B) Establish operating policies and
procedures concerning record ownership, quality, verification, modification,
and cancellation; and
(C) Perform mail out and verification duties
as follows:
(i) Send each month Criminal Justice
Information System network messages to sheriffs listing sexual offenders due
for verification;
(ii) Create a photo image file from original
entries and provide such entries to sheriffs to assist in sexual offender
identification and verification;
(iii) Mail a nonforwardable verification form
to the last reported address of the sexual offender within ten days prior to
the sexual offendeŕs
birthday;
(iv) If the sexual offender changes residence
to another state, notify the law enforcement agency with which the sexual
offender shall register in the new state; and
(v) Maintain records required under this Code
section.
(i) The sheriff́s
office in each county shall:
(1) Prepare and maintain a list of all sexual
offenders and sexually dangerous predators residing in each county. Such
list shall include the sexual offendeŕs
name; age; physical description; address; crime of conviction, including
conviction date and the jurisdiction of the conviction; photograph; and the
risk assessment classification level provided by the board, and an
explanation of how the board classifies sexual offenders and sexually
dangerous predators;
(2) Electronically submit and update all
information provided by the sexual offender within two working days to the
Georgia Bureau of Investigation in a manner prescribed by the Georgia Bureau
of Investigation;
(3) Maintain and post a list of every sexual
offender residing in each county:
(A) In the sheriff́s
office;
(B) In any county administrative building;
(C) In the main administrative building for
any municipal corporation;
(D) In the office of the clerk of the superior
court so that such list is available to the public; and
(E) On a website maintained by the sheriff of
the county for the posting of general information;
(4) Update the public notices required by
paragraph (3) of this Code section within two working days;
(5) Inform the public of the presence of
sexual offenders in each community;
(6) Update the list of sexual offenders
residing in the county upon receipt of new information affecting the
residence address of a sexual offender or upon the registration of a sexual
offender moving into the county by virtue of release from prison, relocation
from another county, conviction in another state, federal court, military
tribunal, or tribal court. Such list, and any additions to such list, shall
be delivered, within 72 hours of updating the list of sexual offenders
residing in the county, to all schools or institutions of higher education
located in the county;
(7) Within 72 hours of the receipt of changed
required registration information, notify the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation through the Criminal Justice Information System of each change
of information;
(8) Retain the verification form stating that
the sexual offender still resides at the address last reported;
(9) Enforce the criminal provisions of this
Code section. The sheriff may request the assistance of the Georgia Bureau
of Investigation to enforce the provisions of this Code section;
(10) Cooperate and communicate with other
sheriffś
offices in this state and in the United States to maintain current data on
the location of sexual offenders;
(11) Determine the appropriate time of day for
reporting by sexual offenders, which shall be consistent with the reporting
requirements of this Code section;
(12) If required by Code Section 42-1-14,
place any electronic monitoring system on the sexually dangerous predator
and explain its operation and cost;
(13) Provide current information on names and
addresses of all registered sexual offenders to campus police with
jurisdiction for the campus of an institution of higher education if the
campus is within the sheriff́s
jurisdiction; and
(14) Collect the annual $250.00 registration
fee from the sexual offender and transmit such fees to the state for deposit
into the general fund.
(j)(1) The sheriff of the county where the
sexual offender resides or last registered shall be the primary law
enforcement official charged with communicating the whereabouts of the
sexual offender and any changes in required registration information to the
sheriff́s
office of the county or counties where the sexual offender is employed,
volunteers, attends an institution of higher education, or moves.
(2) The sheriff́s
office may post the list of sexual offenders in any public building in
addition to those locations enumerated in subsection (h) of this Code
section.
(k) The Georgia Crime Information Center shall
create the Criminal Justice Information System network transaction screens
by which appropriate officials shall enter original data required by this
Code section. Screens shall also be created for sheriffś
offices for the entry of record confirmation data; employment; changes of
residence, institutions of higher education, or employment; or other
pertinent data to assist in sexual offender identification.
(l)(1) On at least an annual basis, the
Department of Education shall obtain from the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation a complete list of the names and addresses of all registered
sexual offenders and shall send such list, accompanied by a hold harmless
provision, to each school in this state. In addition, the Department of
Education shall provide information to each school in this state on
accessing and retrieving from the Georgia Bureau of Investigatiońs
website a list of the names and addresses of all registered sexual
offenders.
(2) On at least an annual basis, the
Department of Early Care and Learning shall provide current information to
all child care programs regulated pursuant to Code Section 20-1A-10 and to
all child care learning centers, day-care, group day-care, and family
day-care programs regulated pursuant to Code Section 49-5-12 on accessing
and retrieving from the Georgia Bureau of Investigatiońs
website a list of the names and addresses of all registered sexual offenders
and shall include, on a continuing basis, such information with each
application for licensure, commissioning, or registration for early care and
education programs.
(3) On at least an annual basis, the
Department of Human Resources shall provide current information to all
long-term care facilities for children on accessing and retrieving from the
Georgia Bureau of Investigatiońs
website a list of the names and addresses of all registered sexual
offenders.
(m) Within ten days of the filing of a
defendant́s
discharge and exoneration of guilt pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8 of
this title, the clerk of court shall transmit the order of discharge and
exoneration to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and any sheriff
maintaining records required under this Code section.
(n) Any individual who:
(1) Is required to register under this Code
section and who fails to comply with the requirements of this Code section;
(2) Provides false information; or
(3) Fails to respond directly to the sheriff
within 72 hours of such individuaĺs
birthday
shall be guilty of a felony and shall be
punished by imprisonment for not less than ten nor more than 30 years;
provided, however, that upon the conviction of the second offense under this
subsection, the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment for life.
(o) The information collected pursuant to this
Code section shall be treated as private data except that:
(1) Such information may be disclosed to law
enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes;
(2) Such information may be disclosed to
government agencies conducting confidential background checks; and
(3) The Georgia Bureau of Investigation or any
sheriff maintaining records required under this Code section shall, in
addition to the requirements of this Code section to inform the public of
the presence of sexual offenders in each community, release such other
relevant information collected under this Code section that is necessary to
protect the public concerning sexual offenders required to register under
this Code section, except that the identity of a victim of an offense that
requires registration under this Code section shall not be released.
(p) The Board of Public Safety is authorized
to promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation and the Georgia Crime Information Center to implement and
carry out the provisions of this Code section.
(q) Law enforcement agencies, employees of law
enforcement agencies, and state officials shall be immune from liability for
good faith conduct under this article.
42-1-13.
(a) The Sexual Offender Registration Review
Board shall be composed of three professionals licensed under Title 43 and
knowledgeable in the field of the behavior and treatment of sexual
offenders; at least one representative from a victimś
rights advocacy group or agency; and at least two representatives from law
enforcement, each of whom is either employed by a law enforcement agency as
a certified peace officer under Title 35 or retired from such employment.
The members of the board shall be appointed by the commissioner of human
resources for terms of four years. On and after July 1, 2006, successors to
the members of the board shall be appointed by the Governor. Members of the
board shall take office on the first day of September immediately following
the expired term of that office and shall serve for a term of four years and
until the appointment of their respective successors. No member shall serve
on the board more than two consecutive terms. Vacancies occurring on the
board, other than those caused by expiration of a term of office, shall be
filled in the same manner as the original appointment to the position
vacated for the remainder of the unexpired term and until a successor is
appointed. Members shall be entitled to an expense allowance and travel cost
reimbursement the same as members of certain other boards and commissions as
provided in Code Section 45-7-21.
(b) The board shall be attached to the
Department of Human Resources for administrative purposes and, provided
there is adequate funding, shall:
(1) Exercise its quasi-judicial, rule-making,
or policy-making functions independently of the department and without
approval or control of the department;
(2) Prepare its budget, if any, and submit its
budgetary requests, if any, through the department; and
(3) Hire its own personnel if authorized by
the Constitution of this state or by statute or if the General Assembly
provides or authorizes the expenditure of funds therefor.
(c) Members of the board shall be immune from
liability for good faith conduct under this article.
42-1-14.
(a) The board shall determine the likelihood
that a sexual offender will engage in another crime against a victim who is
a minor or a dangerous sexual offense. The board shall make such
determination for any sexual offender convicted on or after July 1, 2006, of
a criminal act against a minor or a dangerous sexual offense and for any
sexual offender incarcerated on July 1, 2006, but convicted prior to July 1,
2006, of a criminal act against a minor. Such determination shall not be
required to be made by the board until January 1, 2007; provided, however,
that such persons shall be subject to this Code section. A sexual offender
shall be placed into Level I risk assessment classification, Level II risk
assessment classification, or sexually dangerous predator classification
based upon the board́s
assessment criteria and information obtained and reviewed by the board. The
sexual offender may provide the board with information including, but not
limited to, psychological evaluations, sexual history polygraph information,
treatment history, personal, social, educational, and work history, and may
agree to submit to a psychosexual evaluation or sexual history polygraph
conducted by the board. If the sexual offender has undergone treatment
through the Department of Corrections, such treatment records shall also be
submitted to the board for evaluation. The prosecuting attorney shall
provide the board with any information available to assist the board in
rendering an opinion, including, but not limited to, criminal history and
records related to previous criminal history. On and after July 1, 2006, the
clerk of court shall send a copy of the sexual offendeŕs
conviction to the board and notify the board that a sexual offendeŕs
evaluation will need to be performed. The board shall render its
recommendation for risk assessment classification within:
(1) Sixty days of receipt of a request for an
evaluation if the sexual offender is being sentenced pursuant to subsection
(c) of Code Section 17-10-6.2;
(2) Six months prior to the sexual offendeŕs
proposed release from confinement if the offender is incarcerated; and
(3) Forty-five days of receipt of the required
registration information if the sexual offender has entered this state from
another state and registered as a sexual offender.
The board shall send a copy of its risk
assessment classification to the Department of Corrections, sexual offender,
and sentencing court, if applicable.
(b)(1) If the sexual offender has been
sentenced pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 17-10-6.2, after
receiving a recommendation from the board that he or she be classified as a
sexually dangerous predator, the sexual offender may request that the
sentencing court set a date to conduct a hearing affording the sexual
offender the opportunity to present testimony or evidence relevant to the
recommended classification. After the hearing and within 60 days of
receiving the report, the court shall issue a ruling as to whether or not
the sexual offender shall be classified as a sexually dangerous predator. If
the court determines the sexual offender to be a sexually dangerous
predator, such fact shall be communicated in writing to the appropriate
official, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the sheriff of the county
where the sexual offender resides.
(2) If the sexual offender received a sentence
of imprisonment and was sentenced for a dangerous sexual offense on or after
July 1, 2006, or if the sexual offender is incarcerated on July 1, 2006, for
a crime against a victim who is a minor, after receiving a recommendation
from the board that he or she be classified as a sexually dangerous
predator, the sexual offender may request that the sentencing court set a
date to conduct a hearing affording the sexual offender the opportunity to
present testimony or evidence relevant to the recommended classification.
After the hearing and within 60 days of receiving the report, the court
shall issue a ruling as to whether or not the sexual offender shall be
classified as a sexually dangerous predator. If the court determines the
sexual offender to be a sexually dangerous predator, such fact shall be
communicated in writing to the appropriate official, the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation, and the sheriff of the county where the sexual offender
resides.
(c) Any sexual offender who changes residence
from another state or territory of the United States to this state and who
is not designated as a sexually dangerous predator, sexual predator, or a
sexually violent predator shall have his or her required registration
information forwarded by the sheriff of his or her county of registration to
the board for the purpose of risk assessment classification. After receiving
a recommendation from the board that he or she be classified as a sexually
dangerous predator, the sexual offender may, within 30 days after the
issuance of such classification, request a hearing before an administrative
law judge. Such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 13 of
Title 50, the 'Georgia Administrative Procedure Act.' The decision of the
administrative law judge shall constitute the final decision of the board
subject to the right of judicial review in accordance with Chapter 13 of
Title 50. If the final determination is that the sexual offender is
classified as a sexually dangerous predator, such fact shall be communicated
in writing to the appropriate official, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation,
and the sheriff of the county where the sexual offender resides.
(d) Any individual who was classified as a
sexually violent predator prior to July 1, 2006, shall be classified as a
sexually dangerous predator on and after July 1, 2006.
(e) Any sexually dangerous predator shall be
required to wear an electronic monitoring system that shall have, at a
minimum:
(1) The capacity to locate and record the
location of a sexually dangerous predator by a link to a global positioning
satellite system;
(2) The capacity to timely report or record a
sexually dangerous predatoŕs
presence near or within a crime scene or in a prohibited area or the
sexually dangerous predatoŕs
departure from specific geographic locations; and
(3) An alarm that is automatically activated
and broadcasts the sexually dangerous predatoŕs
location if the global positioning satellite monitor is removed or tampered
with by anyone other than a law enforcement official designated to maintain
and remove or replace the equipment.
Such electronic monitoring system shall be
worn by a sexually dangerous predator for the remainder of his or her
natural life. The sexually dangerous predator shall pay the cost of such
system to the Department of Corrections if the sexually dangerous predator
is on probation; to the Board of Pardons and Paroles if the sexually
dangerous predator is on parole; and to the sheriff after the sexually
dangerous predator completes his or her term of probation and parole or if
the sexually dangerous predator has moved to this state from another state,
territory, or country. The electronic monitoring system shall be placed upon
the sexually dangerous predator prior to his or her release from
confinement. If the sexual offender is not in custody, within 72 hours of
the decision classifying the sexual offender as a sexually dangerous
predator by the court in accordance with subsection (b) of this Code section
or a final decision pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section,
whichever applies to the sexual offendeŕs
situation, the sexually dangerous predator shall report to the sheriff of
the county of his or her residence for purposes of having the electronic
monitoring system placed on the sexually dangerous predator.
(f) In addition to the requirements of
registration for all sexual offenders, a sexually dangerous predator shall
report to the sheriff of the county where such predator resides six months
following his or her birth month and update or verify his or her required
registration information.
42-1-15.
(a) No individual required to register
pursuant to Code Section 42-1-12 shall reside or loiter within 1,000 feet of
any child care facility, church, school, or area where minors congregate.
Such distance shall be determined by measuring from the outer boundary of
the property on which the individual resides to the outer boundary of the
property of the child care facility, church, school, or area where minors
congregate at their closest points.
(b)(1) No individual who is required to
register under Code Section 42-1-12 shall be employed by any child care
facility, school, or church or by any business or entity that is located
within 1,000 feet of a child care facility, a school, or a church.
(2) No individual who is a sexually dangerous
predator shall be employed by any business or entity that is located within
1,000 feet of an area where minors congregate.
(c) Notwithstanding any ordinance or
resolution adopted pursuant to Code Section 16-6-24 or subsection (d) of
Code Section 16-11-24, it shall be unlawful for any individual required to
register pursuant to Code Section 42-1-12 to loiter, as prohibited by Code
Section 16-11-36, at any child care facility, school, or area where minors
congregate.
(d) Any sexual offender who knowingly violates
the provisions of this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and shall be
punished by imprisonment for not less than ten nor more than 30 years.
(e) Nothing in this Code section shall create,
either directly or indirectly, any civil cause of action against or result
in criminal prosecution of any person, firm, corporation, partnership,
trust, or association other than an individual required to be registered
under Code Section 42-1-12."
SECTION 25.
Said title is further amended by striking
subsection (b) of Code Section 42-8-35, relating to terms and conditions of
probation, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(b)
In determining the terms and conditions of probation for a probationer who
has been convicted of a criminal offense against a victim who is a minor
or
dangerous sexual offense as
that phrase is
those terms
are defined in
subparagraph
(a)(4)(B) of Code Section 42-1-12, the
court may provide that the probationer shall be:
(1) Prohibited from entering or remaining
present at a victiḿs
school, place of employment, place of residence, or other specified place at
times when a victim is present or from
entering or
remaining present
loitering
in areas where minors congregate, child care facilities,
churches,
or schools as those terms are defined in
subsection (a)
of Code Section
42-1-13
42-1-12;
(2) Required to wear a device capable of
tracking the location of the probationer by means including electronic
surveillance or global positioning systems.
The
Unless
the probationer is indigent, the
department shall assess and collect fees from the probationer for such
monitoring at levels set by regulation by the department; and
(3) Prohibited from seeking election to a
Local
Board of Education
local board of
education."
SECTION 26.
Said title is further amended by striking Code
Section 42-8-60, relating to probation prior to adjudication of guilt, and
inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"42-8-60.
(a) Upon a verdict or plea of guilty or a plea
of nolo contendere, but before an adjudication of guilt, in the case of a
defendant who has not been previously convicted of a felony, the court may,
without entering a judgment of guilt and with the consent of the defendant:
(1) Defer further proceeding and place the
defendant on probation as provided by law; or
(2) Sentence the defendant to a term of
confinement as provided by law.
(b) Upon violation by the defendant of the
terms of probation, upon a conviction for another crime during the period of
probation, or upon the court determining that the defendant is or was not
eligible for sentencing under this article, the court may enter an
adjudication of guilt and proceed as otherwise provided by law. No person
may avail himself
or herself
of this article on more than one occasion.
(c) The court shall not sentence a defendant
under the provisions of this article and, if sentenced under the provisions
of this article, shall not discharge the defendant upon completion of the
sentence unless the court has reviewed the defendant́s
criminal record as such is on file with the Georgia Crime Information
Center.
(d) The court
shall not sentence a defendant under the provisions of this article who has
been found guilty of or entered a plea of guilty of a plea of nolo
contendere for:
(1) A serious
violent felony as such term is defined in Code Section 17-10-6.1;
(2) A sexual
offense as such term is defined in Code Section 17-10-6.2;
(3) Sexual
exploitation of a minor as defined in Code Section 16-12-100;
(4) Electronically
furnishing obscene material to a minor as defined in Code Section
16-12-100.1; or
(5) Computer
pornography and child exploitation, as defined in Code Section 16-12-100.2."
SECTION 27.
Said title is further amended by striking
subsections (b) and (c) of Code Section 42-9-39, relating to restrictions on
relief for person serving a second life sentence, and inserting new
subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows:
"(b)
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 17-10-7, when
a person is convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment and such
person has previously been incarcerated under a life sentence, such person
shall serve at least
25
30
years in the penitentiary before being granted a pardon and before becoming
eligible for parole.
(c) When a person receives consecutive life
sentences as the result of offenses occurring in the same series of acts and
any one of the life sentences is imposed for the crime of murder, such
person shall serve consecutive
ten-year
30 year
periods for each such sentence, up to a maximum of
30
60
years, before being eligible for parole consideration."
SECTION 28.
Said title is further amended by striking in
its entirety Code Section 42-9-44.1, relating to conditions of parole for
sexual offenders, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"42-9-44.1.
(a) As used in
this Code section, the term 'sexual offense' means a violation of Code
Section 16-6-1, 16-6-2, 16-6-5.1, 16-6-22, or 16-6-22.2 when the victim was
under 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense or a
violation of Code Section 16-6-3, 16-6-4, or 16-6-5 when the victim was
under 14 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense.
(b)(1) The
board shall adopt rules providing that with respect to any person who has
been convicted of a sexual offense, as a condition of parole, the offender
shall be ordered to give notice of his or her name and address, the crime
for which he or she was convicted, and the date of parole to:
(A) The
superintendent of the public school district where the offender will reside;
and
(B) The sheriff
of the county wherein the offender will reside.
(2) The
offender shall provide the notice and information required in paragraph (1)
of this subsection within ten days of the release on parole or within ten
days of setting up residency in the locale where the offender plans to have
his or her domicile.
(c) Any sex
offender who has been paroled and who moves his or her legal residence from
one county within this state to another county within this state shall be
required to provide the information and notice required in subsection (b) of
this Code section with respect to his or her new residence within ten days
after moving during the period of his or her parole.
(d) Any person
who fails to comply with the requirements of this Code section or who
provides false information shall, in the case of a person on parole, be in
violation of such persońs
conditions of parole and shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(e) It shall be
the duty of the sheriff of each county within this state to maintain a
register of the names and addresses of all offenders providing information
to the sheriff under this Code section. Such register shall be open to
public inspection.
(f) The
requirement that a sex offender provide notice and information pursuant to
subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section shall terminate upon the
offendeŕs
satisfactory completion of his or her terms of parole.
Reserved."
SECTION 29.
Said title is further amended by striking in
its entirety Code Section 42-9-44.2, relating to chemical treatment and
counseling as a condition of parole for child molesters, and inserting in
lieu thereof the following:
"42-9-44.2.
(a) The Board
of Pardons and Paroles may in the exercise of its discretion in considering
the grant of parole to a person who has been convicted of a second or
subsequent offense of child molestation of a child who was 16 years of age
or younger at the time of the offense or who has been convicted of a first
offense of aggravated child molestation of a child who was 16 years of age
or younger at the time of the offense require, as a condition of parole,
that such person undergo medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment or its
chemical equivalent. While undergoing such treatment, such person must
participate in and pay for counseling currently available from a private or
public provider of outpatient mental health services. No such treatment
shall be administered until such person has consented thereto in writing.
(b) A person
who is required to undergo medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment or its
chemical equivalent and counseling as a condition of parole shall begin such
treatment prior to his or her release from confinement in the state
correctional institution or other institution, but additional treatment may
continue after such defendant́s
release on parole until the defendant demonstrates to the board that such
treatment is no longer necessary.
(c) The
provision of treatment required as a condition of parole shall be
administered by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles through licensed
medical personnel employed by the defendant and approved by the board. Any
physician or qualified mental health professional who acts in good faith in
compliance with the provisions of this Code section in the administration of
treatment or provision of counseling provided for in this Code section shall
be immune from civil or criminal liability for his or her actions in
connection with such treatment. The Department of Corrections shall permit
access by such licensed medical personnel for such purpose to any person
required to begin the treatment and counseling while confined in a facility
of the department. The medical personnel utilized or approved by the board
shall be required to inform the person about the effect of hormonal chemical
treatment and any side effects that may result from it. A person subject to
treatment under this Code section shall acknowledge in writing the receipt
of this information.
Reserved."
SECTION 30.
(a) This Act shall become effective July 1,
2006.
(b) Any person required to register pursuant
to the provisions of Code Section 42-1-12, relating to the state sexual
offender registry, and any person required not to reside within areas where
minors congregate, as prohibited by Code Section 42-1-13, shall not be
relieved of the obligation to comply with the provisions of said Code
sections by the repeal and reenactment of said Code sections.
(c) The provisions of this Act shall not
affect or abate the status as a crime of any such act or omission which
occurred prior to the effective date of the Act repealing, repealing and
reenacting, or amending such law, nor shall the prosecution of such crime be
abated as a result of such repeal, repeal and reenactment, or amendment.
SECTION 31.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with
this Act are repealed.