<p>Republican leaders unveiled a proposal Friday to toughen penalties on sexual offenders that sets minimum prison sentences of 25 years for certain sex crimes and requires released offenders to wear monitoring devices for the rest of their lives.</p><p>House Majority Leader Jerry Keen said the bill would make Georgia's laws among the nation's most restrictive by keeping sexual predators locked up longer _ and driving them from Georgia when they are released.</p><p>"We don't want these types of people staying in our state," said Keen, R-St. Simons.</p><p>Defense attorney groups complained that the mandatory minimum sentences will rob judges and prosecutors of their discretion to set punishments in each case. Yet some took heart that buried deep within the bill's language are provisions that reduce the penalties for some consensual oral sex acts between teenagers.</p><p>Keen's proposal calls for minimum mandatory sentences of 25 years for aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy and aggravated sexual battery charges. Previously, the minimum sentences for many sexual offenses was 10 years.</p><p>Keen said his proposal "puts some teeth" into the Sexual Offender Registry by requiring a convict's information be sent to the county sheriff before an offender is released from prison or put on probation.</p><p>It also requires some "dangerous" sexual offenders to wear GPS monitors armed with alarms and two-way voice communicators for the rest of their lives. A review board will decide which convicts will wear the monitors, which the offenders would be required to buy.</p><p>And it bans sexual offenders from working 1,000 feet from schools, daycare centers and churches. The current law bans offenders from residing 1,000 feet from places where minors congregate, but makes no mention of the workplace.</p><p>Douglas County District Attorney David McDade said the bill will make Georgia "the last place any sex offender will want to be."</p><p>Defense attorney Jack Martin worried that the strict penalties could backfire.</p><p>"Harsh penalties are appropriate, but when you make the penalties so draconian, it will mean that these crimes won't be reported," said Martin, who chairs the legislative committee for the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. "Often they occur within a family member or a close family friend. If a family knows that person's life will basically be ruined, people won't report it."</p><p>Sandra Michaels, the group's lobbyist, said the bill raises "serious concerns."</p><p>"The mandatory penalties leave no room for discretion among prosecutors and judges," said Michaels. "And it could have drastic, unintended consequences for juveniles."</p><p>Some prosecutors, however, argue that judges shouldn't have that flexibility with certain crimes.</p><p>"I think this bill makes clear to everyone the General Assembly says if you commit one of these crimes, there shouldn't be any discretion," said McDade.</p><p>Prosecutors and defense attorneys alike said they were pleased the bill reduces the penalty from a felony to a misdemeanor for some teenagers convicted of sodomy.</p><p>They said the move addresses several high-profile Georgia cases where teenagers were convicted of felonies and sent to prison for engaging in consensual sex acts with other teenagers.</p><p>The case of Marcus Dixon, whose felony conviction and 10-year prison sentence was overturned by the Georgia Supreme Court in 2004, brought attention to the issue.</p><p>Genarlow Wilson was also acquitted of rape but received a 10-year prison sentence on aggravated child molestation charges. His lawyer, B.J. Bernstein, said the charge was spurred by a consensual act of oral sex with another teenager and is appealing the case.</p><p>"That is 100 percent what we're seeking," said Bernstein. "It's a step in the right direction."</p><p>House leaders have touted the bill for months, hoping it will be one of their hallmark accomplishments this legislative session. Its details were unveiled in the lobby of the Capitol by Keen and state Rep. David Ralston, who were surrounded by dozens of GOP lawmakers. The bill has already been signed by 75 legislators, including several Democrats.</p><p>"Georgia is going to be a leader in this area of protecting our children," said Ralston, R-Blue Ridge. "We're going to produce the toughest law in our country."</p><p>____></p><p>On the Net:</p><p>HASH(0x1cdefc4)</p>
