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People of faith are called by that faith
to speak for all children.

February 28, 2011
"Child Protection and Public Safety Act" Re-issued as SB127
 
First Hearing by Senate Judiciary Committee, Mon., Feb. 28 @ 3:00 p.m.
 
Monday, Feb. 28 -- The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold its first hearing of the re-issued "Child Protection and Public Safety Act" today at 3:00 p.m. in Room 450 of the State Capitol.  SB127 is the new bill number for the former SB292.

 

At this hearing, the Committee will review the changes that were made to the bill during the last legislative session and continue its review of Article 7 - Delinquency.
 
Please contact your state legislators and let them know that hearings have resumed and that you support the need for a children's code revision. Express your hope to your legislators that they are engaged in the well-being of Georgia's children.

 

If you do not know who your elected state legislators are, please go to Project Vote Smart.

Thank you for your continued support of all of Georgia's children.
HB 200 - Freedom from Human Trafficking Act Needs Your Support
 
Monday, Feb. 28 -- As reported, the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee passed HB 200 "Freedom from Human Trafficking Act" out of committee last week.  The legislation now sits with the House Rules Committee where it still needs your support to get to the House floor for a vote.
 
How will HB 200 Improve the Lives of Trafficking Victims?
- HB 200 recognizes that victims of forced sexual servitude should not be treated as criminals and provides an affirmative defense to such victims for sexual crimes.
 
-  HB 200 will allow human trafficking victims to receive Crime Victims Compensation Funds to reimburse them for medical bills and counseling expenses.
 
-  HB 200 requires training for law enforcement on addressing human trafficking, appropriate detention for victims, and assistance available to victims.
 
How Will HB 200 Improve Accountability for Traffickers?
-  HB 200 increases the penalties for trafficking, including 10-20 years in prison where the victim is over 18 years and 25-50 years or life in prison in cases involving victims under 18 years of age.  A fine of up to $100,000 may also be imposed in all trafficking cases.
 
-  HB 200 allows for the property of traffickers to be forfeited under Georgia's RICO (racketeering) statute.

 -  HB 200 changes the penalties for pimping, pandering, and keeping a place of prostitution if the victim is a minor.  For cases involving a 16 or 17 year old, the crime is a felony punishable by 5-20 years in prison and a fine of $2,500 to $10,000.  If the victim is under 16, the crime is a felony punishable by 10-30 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
 
Now, we need for you to take action:
1.  Please contact members of the House Rules Committee and encourage them to send HB 200 to the House floor for a vote by the full House.
 2.  Please contact your House Representative and let him/her know that you support passage of HB 200.  If you do not know who your elected state legislators are, please go to Project Vote Smart.

Thank you for knowing that your voice is needed in this effort to protect and restore Georgia's children.
SPIRITUAL WITNESS FOR CHILDREN
Prayer
One of the most important things faith communities can do for children is to pray for them.
 
Every child is a child of God and deserves justice and compassion. Every child deserves our prayers.
 
ICM encourages every faith community to become a spiritual witness for children. Hold a worship service in your church, synagogue, mosque or temple and invite others to join in praying for the well-being of all children.
ICM Mission and Goals
 
The Interfaith Children's Movement was formed in 2001 as an intentional association of individuals and communities of faith from all religious traditions.
 
The Interfaith Children's Movement strives to be a voice for all Georgia children, but especially the poor and marginalized whose voices are often unheard. 
 
ICM works closely with Georgia's policy-oriented child advocacy organizations, such as: 
  • Voices for Georgia's Children,
  • The Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic at Emory University,
  • Georgia Appleseed,
  • JUSTGeorgia,
  • Prevent Child Abuse Georgia and
  • A Future.Not a Past. (child prostitution prevention). 

These organizations set the agenda for our advocacy work for children. 

ICM's faith community members provide a megaphone to the legislature about what needs to be done for children.
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JOIN ICM and the effort to improve the well-being of Georgia's children. Make a tax-deductible contribution today.
 
 

LEGISLATION

AND

BUDGET ISSUES

 

Budget FY12

- 2020 Georgia recommendations

- GBPI (Effects of Proposed Budget Cuts to Services for Children and Families)

 

SR 20 (Passed favorably out of committee) Provides for limitations on state government taxation and expenditures.  A similar type of measure was found to be counterproductive in Colorado.  A sound and balanced budgeting process and an updated revenue system would work better than an arbitrary cap on taxation and expenditures.

 

Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking

HB 185 - "Runaway Youth Safety and Services Act"

  

HB 200 - "Freedom from Human Trafficking Act"  (now sits in House Rules Committee - see article in left column)

  

Education

HB 326

1.  Pre-Kindergarten

While the Governor proposes increases to Pre-K transportation and to "extended day" funding, the Governor proposes cutting Pre-K to half days - Read.

 

This is not the solution to "saving Pre-K."  Please read the Southern Education Foundation's Issue Brief:  "Half-Day vs. Full Day Pre-Kindergarten Programs"

 

The brief finds:

-  For the past decade, Pre-K programs nationally have moved towards expanding to a full-day program, not the reverse.

-  Full-day programs have a more lasting effect on a child's vocabulary, math and literacy skills.

 

2.  HOPE Scholarship/Grant

Based on the Governor's proposals for HOPE, disadvantaged students will have a harder time obtaining a college education.

 

Below are some of the highlights of the proposed cuts/revisions.  Please read the full article at ajc.com.

 

- Only students who have a 3.7 grade point average from high school will get 100 percent coverage of tuition under the newly created Zell Miller Scholarship. They must maintain a 3.5 GPA in college.

 

- All other students with a 3.0 GPA can receive scholarships equal to 90 percent of the 2010-2011 tuition costs.

 

- Students who have lost HOPE or the Miller scholarship will have one shot at reclaiming it. Currently, there's no limit on how many times they can try to reclaim it.

 

- Mandatory fees and books are no longer covered.

 

- Remedial courses will only be covered at technical colleges.

 

3.  School Drop-Out Prevention

SB 14 - Raising the age of mandatory education from 16 to 17; does not change the beginning age of mandatory education from six years of

 

SB 43 - Changing the age of mandatory education; mandatory education required between a child's fifth and seventeenth birthdays; changes both the beginning and ending ages for mandatory education

  

Foster Care

HB 23 - "Foster Children Psychotropic Drug Monitoring Act"

This legislation addresses the over-medication of children in foster care with psychotropic drugs.

 

Health Care

Georgians for a Healthy Future (Analysis of various health care bills)

 

Find out why selling out-of-state health insurance plans in Georgia under HB 47 is bad for Georgia consumers & patients.  Click HB 47 for a review by Georgians for a Healthy Future.

 

Immigration

HB 87 - "Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011"

 

HB 87 creates an environment of suspicion and fear between neighbors and between law enforcement and the citizens they have sworn to protect.  This is not the Georgia that we want to create for our children.

 

Juvenile Justice - SB 127 (see article in left column)

"The Child Protection and Public Safety Act" (Children's Code Reform) -- Promotes restorative justice for Georgia's children.

 

Parental Nurture

"Flexible Sick Days"

UPDATE:  Legislation has been drafted and Representative Katie Dempsey is the bill sponsor.  This proposed legislation provides employees with the ability to use their existing sick days for the care of family members (child, parent or spouse).

 

HB 311 - "Parent Protection Act" -

Provides protected leave for employees to:

-  attend a medical appointment for the employee or the employee's spouse or child;

-  accompany an elderly relative to a medical appointment; or

-  attend a school conference for a child of the employee when the appointment or school conference cannot reasonably be scheduled during the employee's nonwork hours.

 

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