Pubdate: Sat, 20 Mar 2004
Source: Macon Telegraph (GA)
Copyright: 2004 The Macon Telegraph Publishing Company
Contact:  http://www.macontelegraph.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/667
Author: Andy Peters
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

CHILD ENDANGERMENT BILL CLEARS ITS FINAL HURDLE

ATLANTA - After years of failed attempts, the state House overwhelmingly 
passed a bill Friday creating a felony charge for child endangerment, 
making Georgia the last state to adopt such a statute.

Gov. Sonny Perdue said after the legislation passed the House by a vote of 
161-1 that he would sign it.

"It had dragged on for far too long and it was time to get it done," Perdue 
said.

The measure received bipartisan support.

"Republicans and Democrats who have tremendous philosophical differences 
are working together for the good of Georgia," said Rep. Tom Bordeaux, 
D-Savannah, the former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

In addition to creating a felony-level charge for child endangerment, the 
bill also toughens penalties for cooking methamphetamine in the presence of 
a child. Meth can be cooked at home and has been known to accidentally 
explode and cause fatal fires.

Lawmakers had tried for several years to pass a bill giving prosecutors 
another option to prosecute adults who recklessly leave children in 
dangerous situations. The legislation was doomed last year when 
anti-abortion lawmakers attached a rider bill that would have protected 
unborn fetuses as well as children.

"At last the General Assembly has come together to do the right thing," 
said Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, D-Albany. "Today we finally are sending the 
message to Georgia's children that we don't live in a state that tolerates 
abuse or neglect."

Current state law makes it difficult for prosecutors to go after adults who 
inadvertently put children in danger, such as locking them in a car on a 
hot day. Bibb County District Attorney Howard Simms said in October 2002 
that he would have used a felony child-endangerment statute to file charges 
against a Macon mother whose baby died after being left in a locked car for 
several hours at Macon's GEICO office building.

In previous years, the legislation was blocked by groups ranging from 
Christian Scientists to advocates for victims of domestic violence, who 
feared battered women would be prosecuted if they failed to remove their 
children from an abusive spouse.

Backers of gun-ownership rights also tried to block the legislation in past 
years.

On Friday, Rep. Bobby Franklin, R-Marietta, warned lawmakers that the 
legislation would give district attorneys and law enforcement a blank check 
to wreak terror on ordinary, law-abiding citizens. Franklin particularly 
was worried that the law would force gun owners to always lock guns in a 
case if not in use, or face criminal charges.

"An overzealous prosecutor will have a heyday with this," said Franklin, 
who cast the only vote against the measure Friday. "They want to prosecute 
law-abiding gun owners for merely having a gun at their home."

Last year, Bill Phillips of Citizens for Safe Government warned that the 
legislation threatened gun owners' rights to leave a loaded firearm on a 
table within reach of a child. Such a situation would be necessary if an 
intruder broke into a residence and the gun owner needed quick access to 
the weapon, Phillips said.
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