Baker's office says a substitute ruling issued by the Georgia Supreme Court yesterday scales back the court's opinion issued in November. That ruling seemed to toss out the state law preventing sex offeners living within 1,000 feet of schools, churches and other places children congregate.
Baker's spokesman Russ Willard says the ruling narrows the scope of the court's decision to only protect property owners.
But not everyone read the justices revamped decision the same way.
Sarah Geraghty is a lawyer for the Southern Center for Human Rights, which is challenging the law in federal court. She argues there are several cases that say people who rent their property are protected by the Fifth Amendment just as property owners are.
It is Baker's opinion that is likely to matter, however, as he will be advising sheriffs and other law enforcement officials on how to enforce the law.
It was not immediately clear how many of Georgia's sex offenders own property.
The court's new decision which changed just one word in the individual opinion could sow fresh confusion on a topic that has been fraught with heated emotion and sharp political rhetoric.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2007/12/204866