Day 7 - 1/29/2008

House active on day 7 of 40

>> Back to Daily Highlights

The House voted today in favor of House Bill 908 which would prohibit registered sex offenders from residing or loitering within 1,000 feet of any school, day care center, church, parks or other areas where minors congregate.  The bill contains certain exceptions for property owners who are also registered sex offenders in an attempt for the bill to pass constitutional muster.  Similar legislation, without the exception, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court of Georgia.  Victims’ Rights groups, including the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault and the Atlanta Transformative Justice Collaborative, oppose HB 908 stating that “geographic proximity of persons unknown to the family has very little impact on the actual incidence of abuse of children.”
 
The House Judiciary Committee considered and gave “Do Pass” recommendations to two bills today that would benefit children.  The first bill, House Bill 540, states that in making a determination for child support, a court may direct either or both parents to pay child support for a developmentally disabled child past the time that child turns 18.  The other bill considered by the Committee was Senate Bill 88, the Care of a grandchild Act, sponsored by Senator Renee Unterman. This bill states that the parent of a minor child may delegate to any grandparent residing in this state care giving authority regarding the minor child when hardship prevents the parent from caring for the child. This power of attorney would allow grandparents to enroll their grandchildren in school and in health insurance plans, seek medical care for their grandchildren. The bill also establishes a subsidy program for certain grandparents ( under 200% of fpl)  who are caring for their grandchildren.