A Senate study committee tasked with identifying alternative means and procedures that can be put into place to ensure those who have a history of predatory sexual behavior are properly monitored will hold its first meeting today.
Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford) serves as the chair of the Senate Study Committee on Protections from Sexual Predators which was created by the passage of Senate Resolution 371 during the last legislative session. They will meet at 11 a.m. in the Senate Mezzanine at the State Capitol.
The five members on the study committee will review the implications of the Supreme Court of Georgia Park v. State case which “found that the statutory authorization of lifetime satellite based monitoring of sex offenders who are no longer serving any part of their sentences was unconstitutional pursuant to the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution.”
Public comment is scheduled for the end of the meeting — after a packed slate of expert testimony. Slated to appear before the committee members are:
Lalaine Briones (Deputy Director), Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tony Lima and Special Agent Elizabeth Bigham of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations; James Bergman (Deputy Director of Field Operations) and Lori Rozier (Sex Offender Administration Unit Manager) of the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; and Jason Sheffield and Mark Yurachek of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
SR 371 that created the committee states that ”WHEREAS, the need for protecting the public from individuals who have demonstrated themselves to be sexually dangerous predators remains a public safety concern; and WHEREAS, study is needed on alternative means, methods, and strategies, including, but not limited to, sentencing mechanisms and the elements of various offenses, for protecting the public from individuals who have demonstrated the behavior of a sexually dangerous predator.”
Members of the Committee include: Senator Greg Kirk (R-Americus), Senator Randy Robertson (R-Cataula), Senator John Albers (R-Roswell) Senator Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta).
