The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia threatened to sue the state over a bill expanding the number of crimes requiring cash bail.
In a <a href="https://www.acluga.org/en/press-releases/press-release-aclu-georgia-sue-if-governor-signs-sb-63-law">press release</a> issued on Thursday, several days after the Georgia General Assembly passed the bill, the ACLU affiliate said it would sue if Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) didn’t veto the bill. The organization claimed that requiring those accused of a crime to remain in jail would endanger the community, and that black individuals would be more likely to be affected by the legislation. 
“[This bill] will dramatically increase the number of Georgians languishing in our jails and make our communities less safe,” stated the organization. “Already, 51% of the people in Georgia’s jails are black, while just 30% of the state’s overall population is black.”
The contested legislation, <a href="https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20232024/213335">Senate Bill 63</a>, expanded the definition of bail-restricted offenses to 30 new offenses, including fleeing or attempting to elude police, identity fraud, domestic terrorism, and rioting.
ACLU of Georgia’s legal director, Cory Isaacson, said that the bill was an unconstitutional criminalization of poverty and restriction of the First Amendment. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 Georgia Senate Bill 63, which forces people who can’t afford to pay bail to languish in jail, is unlawful and the ACLU of Georgia will sue if the governor signs it into law. <a href="https://t.co/gKXWUoWHUf">https://t.co/gKXWUoWHUf</a> <a href="https://t.co/KlTcmQ8PPB">pic.twitter.com/KlTcmQ8PPB</a>
— ACLU of Georgia (@ACLUofGA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACLUofGA/status/1755599035891855682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones praised the bill’s passage. Jones predicted it would remove violent, repeat criminals from the public. 
“Senate Bill 63 protects Georgia families by keeping violent and repeat offenders off our streets,” said Jones.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Senate Bill 63 protects Georgia families by keeping violent and repeat offenders off our streets. I appreciate the House adopting the conference committee report on this legislation. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gapol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gapol</a> <a href="https://t.co/7FqZzvgZF2">https://t.co/7FqZzvgZF2</a>
— Lt. Governor Burt Jones (@LtGovJonesGA) <a href="https://twitter.com/LtGovJonesGA/status/1755224371700834571?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
Kemp hasn’t issued a comment on the bill’s passage.
State Sen. Randy Robertson, the bill sponsor, explained in the Senate Public Safety Committee <a href="https://vimeo.com/showcase/8821970/video/797482445">hearing</a> on the bill early last year that there was a need to expand cash bail due to a continued rise in crime.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1707591998756000&amp;usg=AOvVaw25BBjfj8wpQhA6F0A4qnyA">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
“[We’re] continuing to put these guardrails up to ensure that we take the revolving doors off the jails and the 159 counties throughout Georgia,” said Robertson. “Being indigent and having no money does not excuse anyone from committing a crime.”
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum testified to the committee that his officers dealt with almost 900 repeat offenders with nearly 29,000 prior arrests between them in 2022. 
A little over 6,000 of those prior arrests were felonies; 33% of those felons were carrying firearms when arrested again, even though state law prohibits convicted felons from owning firearms, and 57% of those repeat offenders were on probation or parole. Well over 200 were gang members.
In response to criticisms that some of the bail-restricted offenses in the bill included “minor” crimes such as criminal trespass, reckless driving, and obstruction of justice, Robertson noted during the committee hearing that those offenses were usually tied to other, more serious offenses, such as domestic terrorism and rioting. Robertson further added that judges had the discretion to set bonds as low as they desired based on the facts of the case. 
“What we found in many of the domestic terrorism cases that we looked at, and many of the cases of the 2020 riots and destruction, not only here in our capital city but around the country, all had those charges associated with them,” said Robertson. 
Additionally, the bill restricted unlimited bail posting to bail bond companies. All others — including Charitable bail funds, nonprofit organizations, and individuals — would be limited to posting bail to three or fewer individuals annually.
The bill also prohibited the release without bond of any individual charged with a bail-restricted offense, as well as individuals with prior felony arrests within the preceding seven years. 
The annual fee for continuing education programs for bail recovery agents was also doubled.

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

ACLU Threatens To Sue Georgia Over Cash Bail Bill

CONTINUE READING

Cellist Med Student Gives Up NYC Subway Performances After Assaulted Twice In One Year

Climate Initiatives In Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act Will Cost Over $400 Billion More Than Initially Expected, CBO Says

Utah Lawmakers Advance Bill To Prevent The Granting Of Personhood To Nature

Trans-Identifying Man May Become First Male President Of A National Sorority, Says Lawsuit

Defense Department Officials Plan To Utilize AI To Help Identify Threats

Challenges Persist In Getting Astronauts To The Moon; NASA Again Delays Launch Date

News

ACLU

Georgia

Politics

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

ACLU Threatens To Sue Georgia Over Cash Bail Bill