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Doing what we are called to do; doing what we are able to do; doing what must be done.

  

March 17, 2015

ICM 40-Day Legislative Prayer Calendar

for Georgia General Assembly

Please submit a prayer or meditation for one of the 40 days of the legislative session.  Read submitted prayers/meditations at 40-Day Prayer Calendar.
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General Assembly is in adjournment until Wed., 3/18/15.
CHILD PROTECTION:  Hearing Scheduled:  SB 8 / SR 7 - Safe Harbor / Rachel's Law Act, Thurs., March 19th
Hearing Scheduled for New Date and Time 

Senate Bill 8 and Senate Resolution 7 (Sen. Unterman) are scheduled to be heard in the House Juvenile Justice Committee, Thursday, March 19, at 4:00 p.m., in Room 606 Coverdell Legislative Office Building.
  
SB 8 Safe Harbor / Rachel's Law Act --

-    Provides for much-needed funding for services for child victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking through impact fee on adult entertainment establishments, thus recognizing the real and verified spatial relationship between the adult entertainment industry and sex trafficking  ($5,000 per year or 1% of previous year's gross revenues)

 -  Extends the statute of limitations from age 23 to age 25 for a victim of sex trafficking to take civil action against a perpetrator.

 -  Requires sex traffickers to be included on the Sexual Offender Registry. 


The Safe Harbor portion of the bill no longer includes the original provision that protected the child victim from prosecution.

.

SR 7 - Constitutional Amendment 

Provides that the funds from the impact fee be allocated to the Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund for the purpose of providing care and rehabilitative and social services for children who have been or may be sexually exploited.  SR 7 will need to be passed as a constitutional amendment during the November 2016 election in order to become effective 


Note:  The companion bills HB 244 and HR 223 did not make it out of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Judiciary Committee.  Therefore, they did not cross over on March 13th.
 

We need you to speak up now on behalf of Georgia's children in order to get SB 7 and SR 7 passed out of the House Juvenile Justice Committee and sent to the floor of the House for a vote before this session ends on April 2.

 

TAKE ACTION
Please contact members of the House Juvenile Justice Committee and urge them to -- 

"Please vote "Do Pass" out of committee of SB 8 Safe Harbor/Rachel's Law Act and SR 7 the Constitutional Amendment. Studies have identified and documented a real connection between the adult entertainment industry and sex trafficking. Other states, like Texas and Utah, similarly hold the adult entertainment industry accountable for its impact on our most vulnerable. Child victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking should be afforded the full span of services needed in order to become resilient youth who grow into thriving adults.  Vote to provide funding and protection to the children of Georgia."  

Note:  Please remember, if your Representative is a member of the Juvenile Justice Committee, please identify yourself as a constituent from his/her district.

Click on link for contact information:

House Juvenile Justice Committee Members

 

Find out who represents you in the House by going to: http://mvp.sos.state.ga.us/ or www.openstates.org.

ICM Mission and Goals

 

The Interfaith Children's Movement (ICM) is a grassroots, advocacy movement dedicated to improving the well-being of children in Georgia.  ICM 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 children in Georgia, but especially the poor and marginalized whose voices are often unheard. 

 

ICM works closely with Georgia's policy-oriented child advocacy organizations, such as: 

ATTENTION  

Grand Theft Auto V is not a video game for children.

Commonsensemedia
.org says "Crime, violence, sex, drugs, and alcohol = not for kids."

Sign ICM's petition today to the Entertainment Software Rating Board to change the rating of this video game.  

Go to:
Make a Special Contribution 
to ICM Today!

 

Your contributions help to create a better Georgia for children.  Make a monthly tax-deductible gift of $25.00 or a one-time gift of $100.00. Please make a secure, on-line, tax-deductible contribution. Do what must be done... GIVE to ICM today.
 
Make a Donation
Prevent Child Abuse Georgia

GA HELPLINE

1-800-CHILDREN

Please share this number widely.

 

Contact PCA of GA if your agency or organization would like to be included in the Helpline Resource and Referral Database

 

Contact Person:

Julia Neighbors

404-413-1419 or [email protected]

Information Resourcing

ICM E-Newsletter Archive

Find Your Legislators
Wednesday's Child Georgia

   

 

Wednesday's Child, sponsored by the Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption, is a weekly television feature about adoption that helps find permanent, loving, adoptive families for children in foster care.
 
Wednesday's Child Georgia is a partnership of the Georgia Department of Human Services, Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption  and Fox 5 TV - Atlanta.

National Center for Civil and Human Rights

 

 

One of the most important things faith communities can do for children is to pray for them.

 

Every child is a child of God.  All children deserve justice, compassion and our prayers.

 

ICM encourages every faith community to become a spiritual witness for children. Hold a worship service in your church, synagogue, masjid / mosque or temple and invite others to join in praying for the well-being of all children.