Governor Neal Signs Major Criminal Justice Reform Legislation
Georgia’s governor has signed HB 1176 into law, enacting legislation passed by the Georgia legislature in the recent session to make significant changes to the criminal justice system in Georgia. Aimed at encouraging more efficient use of the limited resources of the justice system in Georgia, HB 1176 encourages the enhanced use of outside of the box sentencing programs, such as pre-trial diversion and alternative courts (such as DUI courts) and increases the threshold between misdemeanors and felonies and modifies sentencing requirements for certain theft and drug charges (in order to reduce the number of individuals in prison for relatively minor offenses). The bill will also extend the statute of limitations for certain crimes against children.
The Governor has vowed to continue to fund efforts in the State to increase efficiency in the system and search for alternative methods of prosecution and sentencing to limit the use of expensive bed space for low level criminal offenders.
A copy of HB 1176 as passed can be found on the website of the Georgia Legislature (http://www.legis.ga.gov/
The press release from the Governor announcing the signing of the bill into law can be found on the Governor’s website (http://gov.georgia.gov/00/
The report of the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform report can be found on the Georgia Legislature’s website (http://www.legis.ga.gov/
