hb-911 sponsor
HB-911 was introduced by a first term House of Representative Mandi
Ballinger of District 23 of Canton, GA. She was elected to the Georgia General Assembly in January 2013. Before joining the House of Representatives, Rep. Ballinger working background was in business finance. Additionally, she worked as a victims advocate for the Cherokee
County and the Forsyth County District Attorney's offices. This is where she became aware of the
loophole in the criminal court system with strangulation being charged as a
misdemeanor. HB-911 was introduced to the House Hopper on Feb 4, 2014. The bill has five co-sponsors. They are Representative Golick of the 40th, Representative Oliver of the 82nd, Representative Pak of the 108th, Representative Quick of the 117th, and Representative Powell of the 32nd. The bill was sponsored in the Senate by Senator Dugan of the 30th. I interviewed Rep. Ballinger after the Senate Judiciary Non-Civil Committee meeting on March 6, 2014. I asked her why she
introduced this legislation it was her background and connection within domestic violence advocacy and community agencies that urged her to pursue this legislation. She received overwhelming support from the following: Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Georgia Commission on Family Violence, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, Georgia District Attorneys Association, Solicitor General Association and other agencies that advocate against domestic violence. Her passion and the connections she made with others who advocate is why she submitted the bill to close the loophole. She is very
passionate and expressed her delight about getting a unanimous vote in both
chambers at the gold dome. (M. Ballinger, personal communication, March 6, 2014).
key co-sponsors
Senator Mike Dugan (R) District 30,
Carroll, Douglas and Paulding counties was
the Senator who presented HB-911 to the Senate. Senator Dugan is a first term senator joining in 2013. He is a 20 year veteran of the Army. I spoke to Senator Dugan after the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee meeting. When Rep. Ballinger approached him about representing the bill, he was unaware of the loophole in the judiciary system. Once he understood the need for the legislation, he was on board. He just wanted to make sure the punishment fit the crime. He voted
Yes. (M. Dugan, personal communication, March 6, 2014).
Representatives Rich Golick (R) District
40, Smyrna is a longtime veteran of the House of Representative since 1999. He
is the chairman of the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee and Vice Chairman of the
Rules Committee. He was a key ally of Rep. Ballinger as a first term
representative which helped
ensured the
passage of the bill
with the strength of his tenure. He voted Yes.
Representative Mary Margaret Oliver (D)
District 82, Decatur is
a
longtime community servant in the capital serving in both the House
of Representative and the
Senate. She provides
a
strong bi-partisan
voice
to this
legislation.
Rep.
Oliver is well respected and adding her name to the bill was a strategic move.
She is also
a practicing
lawyer and a juvenile justice advocate. Her insight into the changes affecting juveniles
was
valuable
to making necessary changes to the juvenile code. She
voted Yes.
senator Gloria butler of district 55
Senator Gloria Butler of the 55th in Stone Mountain to Snellville, GA area
is a long serving community leader. Senator Butler has been a member of the Georgia General Assembly since 1999. She is a champion of any legislation that
protects the community against violence especially domestic violence. She felt this legislation would help provide
more protection
to victims
of this type of abuse which often leads to more serious abuse even death.
Senators Butler’s vote was Yes, for adding strangulation to Georgia’s
Aggravated Assault statue. (G. Butler, personal communication, March 19, 2014).
house representative joyce chandler of district 105
Representative
Joyce Chandler of 105th in Grayson, GA is in her first term in
the House of Representative elected in 2012. Prior to joining the House of Representatives, Rep.
Chandler was a retired school counselor and teacher. She has a passion for education and juvenile justice reforms but has supported
previous legislation that helps women fight against domestic violence and this
bill was not an exception. She voted Yes; to HB-911
Aggravated Assault statue. She saw no need for improvement in the bill as it
was strengthening assisting law. (J. Chandler, personal communication, March 14, 2014).
Fulton county victim-witness program director, dr. Amanda planchard
At the Fulton County
Victim-Witness Program, I was able to speak to the Director, Dr. Amanda Planchard and
her staff about HB-911 on March 18, 2014. The VWAP works with
victims of domestic violence daily with misdemeanor cases. They work are the victim's advocate in the courtroom working along with the Solicitor ensuring that they are supported through the court procedure. Domestic violence bills coming through the capital are tracked because they are of interest for victim support. They were pleased with HB-911 introduction and subsequent passage. The victims advocates feel this bill
will help give the victims a voice by allowing them to open up more and speak up for themselves in court. Now
victims can expect harsher sentences will be available for the crime of strangulation. It
would also potentially save lives and cut down on repeat offenses against the same victim. (A. Planchard, personal communication, March 18, 2014).
Snellville police department
The Snellville Police Department is located at 2315 Wisteria Dr. SW. Snellville, GA. I went to the department on April 11, 2014. I spoke with Sergeant Coats, who is in Officer in Charge of
Training concerning HB-911. He said it is a good bill and is endorsed by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. The bill
will enable officers called to a assault situation who sees or suspects a strangulation has occurred to charge accordingly with aggravated assault. The bill strengthens law-enforcements ability to append any offender that uses
strangulation and charge then with a felony. As of the interview, there is no change of standard of training or the regulation needed to
charge the offender under the O.C.G.A. 16-5-21, Aggravated Assault provisions.
I asked about additional training. Once the bill becomes law, all department currently do
quarterly training to stay abreast of
skills. But no outside classes or seminars are planned for the
department to recognize and focus on the signs and symptoms of a strangulation victims as of now. (S.Coats, Snellville Police Department, personal communication, April 11, 2014)