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Sentencing bill closer to passage

By
March 13, 2013

A key Senate panel Wednesday approved legislation that would give more flexibility to the state’s strict sentencing laws and help district attorneys prosecute child molestation cases.

The Senate Judiciary Non-Civil Committee unanimously approved House Bill 349, which has widespread support, after hearing from Rep. Rich Golick, R-Smyrna, the bill’s lead sponsor.

HB 349 would give judges limited discretion to depart from Georgia’s mandatory-minimum sentences, provided certain conditions are met in drug-trafficking cases and when prosecutors and defense attorneys reach agreements in serious felony cases. The bill also would allow certain child hearsay testimony to be presented in molestation trials.

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.

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