ATLANTA (Dec. 11, 2009) – Yesterday, State Senator Ronald B. Ramsey, Sr. (D–Lithonia) pre-filed Senate Bill 300, the Student Protection from Predators Act. The legislation is in direct response to the acquittal of a 36-year-old, Marietta high school teacher who admittedly had consensual sexual relations with his 17-year-old student.
“I understand the trial judge had no choice but to dismiss the case based on the plain language of the current law,” said Sen. Ramsey. “With this legislation, we will not have to tolerate our children being the victims of predators in our schools any longer.”
Earlier this year, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled in Chase v. State that “it is not a crime in Georgia to have sexual contact with a willing participant who is 16 years old, or older.” SB 300 will eliminate the right of a student to give consent to have sexual contact with an educator, employee, agent or volunteer while enrolled in a Georgia public or private school.
“School personnel spend more time with most students than their parents and often have more influence over students than their parents. If that relationship becomes detrimental to the student due to deviant behavior by the adult, it is our responsibility to create or change laws to protect these students,” continued Sen. Ramsey. “This bill will close the hole in the law that predators have crawled through. The current law specifically prohibits a person in authority from having sexual contact with individuals who are incarcerated, or detained as a patient in a hospital or institution. We are derelict if we fail to provide the same or higher level of protection for our students – our greatest resource.”
The penalty of the felony offense for “sexual assault” remains the same by imprisonment for no less than 10 years, but not more than 30 years. If the child is under 14 years of age, the penalty is imprisonment for no less than 25 years, but not more than 50 years.
The bill also adds a new provision for “sexual enticement of a student” by predators in schools that solicit or entice students to have sexual contact. The penalty for a first offense of this provision will be a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. A second offense will carry a fine not to exceed $50,000, or by imprisonment for not more than 5 years.
Sen. Ronald Ramsey, Sr., represents the 43rd Senate District which includes portions of DeKalb and Rockdale Counties. He may be reached by phone at 404.463.2598 or by e-mail at ronald.ramsey@senate.ga.gov .
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2009
For Information Contact:
Natalie Strong, Deputy Director
Katie Wright, Communications Associate
katie.wright@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028