April 4, 2002 News Feed 
 
(Please feel free to personalize) 
 
Greetings, this is Rep. _____________. 
 
The General Assembly is in recess today and will remain so until Tuesday, April 9th at 10:00 a.m. With the 40th day rapidly approaching, lawmakers are 
 
scrambling to pass their legislative projects before the final gavel falls. 
 
Among the items waiting to be considered is a measure seeking to curb 
 
family violence throughout Georgia by keeping repeat offenders off the street. SB 
 
36 would bring an abusive family member's past history into play by directing the 
 
judge to consider past offenses when setting bail for the accused. Furthermore, if 
 
the offender is currently on bail for another offense involving violence, physical 
 
injury, stalking or aggravated stalking, then the new offense shall only be bailable 
 
after a hearing at which the victim, investigating officer, and the prosecuting 
 
attorney's office are given the option of attending. 
 
A few members are concerned with the plan, wondering if it doesn't 
 
supercede the presumption of innocence which is the foundation of our legal 
 
system. 
 
The authors of SB 36, however, say persons who have shown a propensity 
 
toward this type of violence often only escalate their actions, resulting in serious 
 
injury or even death. They therefore see the legislation as a tool to help law 
 
enforcement officials in their efforts to protect the well being, and even the very 
 
lives of the unfortunate victims of domestic abuse within the state. 
 
Reporting from your state capitol this is Rep._________. If you have any 
 
questions or comments please do not hesitate to call me at (404) 656 ( 
 
).