ATLANTA (May 5, 2015) | Governor Nathan Deal signed Senate Bill 8 into Georgia law today at the Georgia State Capitol. The legislation focuses on ending the sexual exploitation of Georgia minors and establishes more severe punishments for those found guilty of this crime. Sen. Renee Unterman (R – Buford), the bill’s sponsor, has been a long-time supporter of stricter laws and punishments intended to keep human traffickers from operating in Georgia. The new law will allow children who have been victimized by sex trafficking to be treated as victims—not criminals.
“This is a remarkable day for our state. Georgia will be able to better assist the victims of sex trafficking through measures that rehabilitate and heal, and offenders will hear—loud and clear—that we will not allow them to profit off of innocence. I would like to thank Governor Deal, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, Rep. Tom Weldon (R – Ringgold), and the diligent advocates who supported Senate Bill 8 throughout the 2015 legislative session. After working for six years in the General Assembly to create a safe harbor for children, this is by far the best day of my 17 years of legislative service,” said Sen. Unterman.
Senate Bill 8, also known as the Safe Harbor/Rachel’s Law legislation, extends the statute of limitations for child sex trafficking victims from the age of 23 to the age of 25 for actions committed on or after July 1, 2015. The legislation also outlines the operation of the Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund and Commission, including the remittance of fees for criminal penalties and the operation of adult entertainment establishments. The Fund will be a separate entity of the state treasury, and will be used to provide care, rehabilitative services, residential housing, health services, and social services to sexually exploited children through persons or programs. The legislation will also require offenders to register with the State Sexual Offender Registry.
A companion resolution to Senate Bill 8 will go straight to voters for approval in November 2016. Senate Resolution 7 the framework for a constitutional amendment that would allow the Georgia General Assembly to set additional penalties or fees in cases where a person is found guilty of severe sex crimes. These crimes include keeping a place of prostitution, pimping, pandering, trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, or sexual exploitation of children.
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For Immediate Release:
May 5, 2015
For Information Contact:
Jennifer Yarber, Director
Jennifer.yarber@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028