ATLANTA— The Georgia Senate recently passed House Bill 804, sending it to Governor Deal for consideration. Introduced by State Representative Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta), House Bill 804 would allow young victims to testify remotely in certain cases of abuse.
“In my ten years in the General Assembly and during my tenure as Majority Whip, I worked on a number of important issues ranging from economic development, tax reform, open government, right to work, illegal immigration, balancing the budget, and education reform. However, perhaps the most impactful area that I have worked on is protecting Georgia’s children,” said Rep. Lindsey. “As part of this effort, I was proud to sponsor, HB 804, which passed out of the House earlier this session and the Senate on Tuesday night. This legislation will make it easier for underage victims of sexual and physical abuse to testify against the monsters that have abused them. This bill may be the last piece of legislation I advance in the General Assembly, and it goes hand in hand with other efforts I have made in my tenure in the State House.”
HB 804 allows the remote option if testifying before the accused would cause serious physical or emotional distress for the victim. The measure applies only to youth under the age of 18. Remote testimonies would be performed via live broadcast and must be approved by the court at least 10 days prior to the trial.
Co-signers of the bill include State Representatives Buzz Brockway (R-Lawrenceville), LaDawn Jones (D-Atlanta), Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City), and B.J. Pak (R-Lilburn). The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, Prosecuting Attorney’s Council, and the Georgia Commission on Family Violence have worked closely with these House members on the construction of the bill.
For more information about HB 804, click here.
Representative Edward Lindsey represents the citizens of District 54, which includes portions of Fulton County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2004, and currently serves on the Appropriations, Education, Ethics, Industry and Labor, Judiciary, and Rules committees.
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