Sentencing bill clears House committee
The House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee on Thursday approved one facet of this year’s legislation seeking changes to the criminal justice system.
House Bill 349 would provide limited changes to Georgia’s strict mandatory-minimum sentencing laws. The changes in minimum mandatories follow recommendations by a council of criminal justice experts appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal.
Under HB 349, if a prosecutor and defense attorney reach agreement, a defendant charged with a serious felony could receive a prison sentence below the minimum mandatory term. In other cases, a judge could give a person convicted of a drug-trafficking crime a sentence of less than the minimum mandatory, but only if the defendant was not a leader of the crime, did not use a weapon and had no prior felony conviction.
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
