ATLANTA (March 21, 2013) – House Bill 242, a landmark juvenile justice reform bill that calls for substantial changes in the state’s juvenile court proceedings, passed the Georgia State Senate today by a vote of 47 to 0. Based on recommendations and years of work by the Governor’s Special Council on Justice Reform, the legislation calls for well-defined articles outlining a juvenile’s right to procedural due process, family preservation and proper representation based on the specific reason for juvenile court intervention. The bill was sponsored in the House by Rep. Wendell Willard (R – Sandy Springs) and carried in the Senate by Sen. Charlie Bethel (R – Dalton). Continue reading “Significant Reforms to Juvenile Justice Code Passes Georgia State Senate”