Georgia's New Sex Offender Law Nixed

A federal judge has blocked a new Georgia sex offenders law scheduled to go into effect July 1 that would bar registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of school bus stops anywhere in the state.

The ruling came on the appeal of eight sex offenders who were represented by the Southern Center for Human Rights. The judge's temporary restraining order prevents the state from forcing those eight defendants to move.

U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper said that he will expand his brief ruling with a more extensive order. The law would have prohibited convicted sex offenders from living or working within 1,000 feet of a school bus stop.

Banned From Their Own Homes

Attorneys for the defendants argued that the law would make it impossible for the state's 10,000 registered offenders to live in any of its urban or suburban counties (See map) and would ban some from their own homes.

Attorneys for the state argued the new law was necessary to protect the welfare of the public.

See Also:
Judge Halts Sweeping Ga. Sex Offender Law
Georgia Sex Offenders by County (Map)

More Information:
Locate Sex Offenders