However, we strongly oppose HB 1142 and HB 1207, which would create a public registry of “recidivist domestic violence offenders” in Georgia.

Public registries are not evidence-based public safety tools. They are mechanisms of public exposure and extended punishment.

Domestic violence is overwhelmingly relationship-based. Incidents occur within families and intimate partnerships — not through random encounters with strangers. A public website listing names and photographs does not prevent violence inside a household. It does not fund treatment. It does not provide victim housing. It does not expand intervention programs. It does not increase mental health services. It does not address substance abuse.

What it does is publicly label individuals for years after they have completed court-ordered sentences.

Georgia already maintains criminal records accessible through lawful channels. Law enforcement already tracks repeat offenders. Courts already impose enhanced penalties for recidivists. Creating another public list does not add meaningful protection — it adds public shaming.

HB 1142 goes further by treating diversion and reduced charges as “convictions” for registry purposes, undermining the rehabilitative purpose of those programs.

Both bills require mandatory public listing without individualized risk assessment. They create a system where conviction count — not current threat level — determines public exposure.

Public registries also create collateral harm:

• Loss of employment and housing
• Harassment and doxxing
• Harm to spouses and children
• Destabilization that can increase risk factors for future conflict

Restore Georgia opposes the expansion of registry culture in this state. If we create public lists for repeat domestic violence, what prevents future legislatures from creating registries for DUI, drug offenses, financial crimes, or other repeat offenses?

Public safety should be built on prevention, rehabilitation, supervision, and survivor services — not perpetual public branding.

If legislators wish to reduce domestic violence recidivism, we urge them to invest in:

• Evidence-based intervention programs
• Risk-based supervision
• Survivor support services
• Mental health and substance abuse treatment
• Data-driven prevention strategies

Georgia deserves policies grounded in evidence, not emotion.

Detailed Comparison: HB 1142 vs HB 1207

Both bills create a public registry, but they differ in scope and structure.

Scope of Who Must Register

HB 1142

• Applies to individuals with:

  • One current domestic violence conviction and

  • At least one prior conviction

• Includes offenses discharged under diversion or reduced to lesser charges as “convictions” for registry purposes

This expands what qualifies as a conviction.

HB 1207

• Requires registration if:

  • Convicted of a felony domestic violence offense; OR

  • Any DV offense with at least one prior DV conviction

• Does not expand diversion language as broadly as HB 1142

HB 1207 captures some first-time felony offenders even without prior convictions.

Registry Information Published

Both bills:

• Publish name

• Photograph

• County of conviction

• Conviction details

• Duration based on prior convictions (2, 5, or 10 years)

• Exclude address and SSN

HB 1207 adds:

• Sentence imposed

• Aliases

 Pretrial Diversion Impact

HB 1142 uniquely:

• Prohibits entry into diversion unless the defendant agrees that future convictions may trigger registry placement

This conditions access to diversion on registry consent.

HB 1207 does not contain this provision.

Removal Process

HB 1207:

• Provides a written removal request process

• Allows judicial review

HB 1142:

• Automatic removal after time period

• No detailed removal appeal structure

Bottom Line:

• HB 1142 is broader in redefining conviction and impacting diversion.

• HB 1207 is broader in including felony first-time offenders.

• Both expand public registry infrastructure in Georgia.

The post Restore Georgia Opposes Creation of a Domestic Violence Public Registry appeared first on Restore Georgia.

Speeches and presentations were of the high quality that is expected at

NARSOL conferences, beginning with Guy Hamilton-Smith’s kick-off speech on Friday morning, through Joshua Hoe’s Saturday night awards banquet speech, concluding with Danielle Bailey’s brilliant presentation Sunday morning.

Conference attendees—both in-person and livestream—may watch any presentation given in the main room again by using your original identification. As soon as possible, those presentations and also many of the others will be available to everyone for viewing on NARSOL’s YouTube channel.

At the awards banquet, the most prestigious award, the Paul Shannon Lifetime Achievement Award, went to Pat Borden of AZRSOL. Pat graciously accepted it on behalf of not only herself but also her family and the Arizona organization.

This successfully completed conference sends a message: We are here; we are still here; we will continue to be here.

NARSOL not only stands for National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws. NARSOL stands for an organization that expects those who have caused harm to accept responsibility for that harm. NARSOL then stands with them as they navigate life on a sex offender registry.   We will fight:

• for their dignity and respectful treatment;
• that their constitutional rights are not violated by law enforcement or legislation;
• for their protection from vigilantism, both physical violence and online intimidation;
• for removal of impediments to their rehabilitation;
• for policy and legislative decisions that are grounded in solid research.

This 2025 conference in Atlanta has been a “second chance” conference, and in summing up what NARSOL stands for and what it fights for on behalf of those we represent, is that not it? Both the ability and the right to seek and to be granted an attainable second chance.

Written by NARSOL

This post was written by someone, or multiple people, within NARSOL.

The post Another Successful NARSOL Conference Completed appeared first on Restore Georgia.

The National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) condemns both the letter and the Change.org petition recently circulated in the Atlanta area, which contain false information and doxxing content. These materials incite fear-based harassment and potential violence against law-abiding citizens, including venue staff and their families.

The letter and petition are filled with factual inaccuracies, misleading claims, and defamatory statements that misrepresent NARSOL’s mission, leadership, and activities. The allegations are demonstrably false, distort legal facts, and mischaracterize the purpose of NARSOL’s advocacy.

NARSOL is a national non-profit civil rights organization advocating for fair, evidence-based laws governing individuals required to register as sex offenders. Our work promotes rehabilitation, successful reentry, and prevention of sexual harm through education, research, and constitutional safeguards—never illicit activity. We do not advocate for sexual conduct between adults and minors nor condone child abuse. Public statements, litigation, and conference agendas confirm our commitment to due process and public safety.

The inflammatory “300-pedophile festival” description is wholly inaccurate. NARSOL conferences attract attorneys, researchers, advocates, family members, and individuals with lived experience — most of whom have no convictions involving minors — and are professional gatherings focused on legal reform and policy analysis.

The documents also misstate Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 42-1-15), which addresses residency, employment, and loitering restrictions for certain registrants. Attendance at lawful conferences, hotel stays, or educational events is not prohibited.

Personal attacks against NARSOL staff rely on unverified or false assertions, attempting guilt by association instead of fact-driven discourse. Targeting a hotel employee with no NARSOL affiliation is reckless and potentially harmful to that person, their coworkers, and their family.

Opposing overly broad or unconstitutional laws is not opposing public safety. Research consistently shows residency restrictions and public shaming fail to reduce reoffense rates and may undermine rehabilitation and community safety.

The authors of these documents claim to wish to prevent harm, yet strategically and methodically directly perpetrate harm instead. The hypocrisy of this action is alarmingly disturbing. Citizens should take care before believing or acting on what they read in an unsubstantiated online petition.

NARSOL invites those interested in learning the truth to visit ExposingNARSOL.com or NARSOL.org.

The post NARSOL Condemns False Info/Doxing in Advance of Atlanta Educational Conference appeared first on Restore Georgia.

By Kwame Anthony Appiah:

I recently reneged on an offer to buy a house because I discovered that a registered sex offender lived across the street. I found this information on a public website that is available for our state and county.

This discovery raised many questions for me. First, the sales contract of the home specifically said the seller and seller’s agent are not obligated to divulge information about any nearby neighbors on the sex-offender registry. It’s unclear if they knew about this specific registered sex offender across the street. If they did know, would it have been unethical for them to keep this information a secret? And what about me? Now that I know about it, should I keep it a secret, too?

I feel some compulsion to spread the word to others who might be interested in purchasing this property, as knowing a sex offender lives next door could affect what a prospective buyer might be willing to offer. And I feel uncomfortable telling my friends the truth about why I dropped out of the contract that I had entered for this house, because I feel I have discovered private information that I should keep secret. In the end, I think I would rather not have made this discovery in the first place. — Name Withheld

Kwame Anthony Appiah is The New York Times Magazine’s Ethicist columnist and teaches philosophy at N.Y.U. His books include “Cosmopolitanism,” “The Honor Code” and “The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity.” To submit a query, send an email to ethicist@nytimes.com.

The post NYT Magazine (The Ethicist): I Saw a Neighbor on the Sex-Offender Registry. Should I Tell Others? appeared first on Restore Georgia.

Mace’s legislation, the Safe Shelters Act, states: “Except for the purpose of seeking information on designated shelters, a covered sex offender may not enter or use the services of an undesignated shelter.”

Under the proposed bill, “designated shelters,” as determined by FEMA, would likely include federal buildings or prisons deemed suitable for registrants by the General Services Administration. This bill is cruel and unfairly targets registrants with families, particularly those with small children. Non-registered spouses depend on their partners for help and support during emergencies and registered single parents would be forced to choose between their children’s safety and forced separation. We believe that requiring families to separate during a crisis is contemptible.

The post NARSOL: Take Action to Stop the Safe Shelter Act! appeared first on Restore Georgia.

By Stephen . . . The Florida 5th District Court of Appeals struck down the state driver’s licensedesignation of labeled Sexual Predator as compelled speech in a 2-1 decision, citing earlier wins in AL and LA over the same compelled speech issue.

Does the requirement that a Florida driver license contain the designation SEXUAL PREDATOR for those persons within that category constitute compelled speech that is unconstitutional under the strict scrutiny test?

The Florida Supreme Court would have to go against every finding to date, both federally and at the state level, to overturn this decision. We shall see.

The post NARSOL: Winners in Florida: First amendment rights, removal of “Sexual Predator” from driver’s licenses appeared first on Restore Georgia.

By Jessica Schulberg…

Originally published by the Huffington Post…. Every Halloween, Cops Brag About Arresting Sex Offenders. Here’s What The Arrests Were Actually For.

Jessica Schulberg is a senior reporter covering politics and the criminal justice system for HuffPost. Her work has also appeared in The New Republic and The Washington Post. She holds a master’s degree in international security from American University. You can contact her at jessica.schulberg@huffpost.com or follow her on Twitter(X) @jessicaschulb.

The post HuffPost: Every Halloween, Cops Brag About Arresting Sex Offenders. Here’s What The Arrests Were Actually For. appeared first on Restore Georgia.

With time now measured in hours rather than days, preparations have become more focused. Imagine the uneasiness, even fear that would be felt by those involved, the questions they would have, and the concerns for family members and young children.

Imagine that time, fear, and stress being doubled, tripled, or quadrupled in families with a member listed on a state sexual offender registry. What would happen? Would the family be separated or turned away if they were determined to stay together?

Those are the questions and the feelings being experienced by many, even as I am typing this. With every passing minute, the expectation of a direct hit grows, aimed directly at Florida, with both torrential rains and extreme winds expected. Florida’s law governing this situation is long and thorough:

Florida: § 685.101. Temporary emergency shelters; sexual predators and offenders notification requirements.  

Any person who is required by Florida law to register as a sexual predator or sexual offender and who utilizes or intends to utilize a temporary shelter provided by any public or private entity and established as a result of any emergency or incident or threatened emergency or incident shall, immediately upon entering the shelter, notify the individual or individuals operating the shelter that he or she is a registered sexual predator or sexual offender. The sexual predator or sexual offender shall be assigned to a temporary shelter specifically designated for use by sexual predators and sexual offenders.

The Sheriff may designate a public building or a jail or other correctional facility as a temporary shelter to be utilized by sexual predators and sexual offenders.

Failure of a sexual predator or sexual offender to make notification as required in Section (b) shall constitute a Class D offense.

When a member of the Florida Action Committee was asked what this translated to in real practice, she said, “Hurricanes are county by county in how they deal with our registered population. We’ve made many improvements over the years. We do get cooperation from probation, and if you’re not on paper, you go where you’ll be safe and report as soon as possible when it’s safe to do so. Some counties have shelters that allow them to go in, while others do not. It’s a web, as is everything else.”

Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina are also expected to experience excessive rain and flooding in some areas. None of these states appear to have specific provisions in state law regarding registrants in weather-emergency shelters.

This is unfortunate as the control is left in the hands of local sheriffs, which creates a wide disparity of policies. Most officials are reluctant to be seen as callous enough to just let people die, and they provide alternate accommodations, often jails or buildings that house jails. There have actually been cases of registrants being arrested for being present on school property that was being used as an emergency shelter.

Contacts in Georgia were determining how the sheriffs would handle the situation in the various counties that would be affected. Registrants who are under community supervision could experience the most difficulty.

North Carolina RSOL’s executive director explained their situation this way: “North Carolina law clearly states that individuals on the registry are prohibited from being on or near schools (both public and private), or any location primarily designated for the use, care, or supervision of minors. In a state of emergency, shelters are often set up in schools, and any registrant who seeks refuge there would be in violation of the law, subjecting them to arrest. Sheriffs have consistently upheld this stance and are supported by the state’s attorney general.”

The situation in Alabama and South Carolina is much the same. When shelter apart from the general population is required for registrants—often in the county jail facilities—it means separating men from their families, women from their husbands and children.

Other states with similar policies may be involved in situations during Helene that require evacuating primary residences, and other states WILL find themselves facing this from other hurricanes. It is time this blatant and agonizing discrimination against our registered citizens ceased.

When safety is threatened, when families are driven from their homes, they need to be allowed emergency shelter just like every other citizen, and they need to be allowed to stay together as families.

People who live registered on a sexual offender registry are ostracized, separated, and discriminated against in much of their lives. Facing emergency situations that threaten their homes, their lives, and the safety of their families must not be one of those times.

The post NARSOL: Stop discrimination against registrants in emergency situations appeared first on Restore Georgia.

The registries themselves, which require sex offenders to regularly report their addresses to local law enforcement agencies so that information can be made publicly available in online databases that also include their names, photographs, and physical descriptions, are primarily punitive, exposing registrants to ostracism, harassment, and violence while impeding their rehabilitation by making it difficult to find employment and housing. There is little evidence that the sort of public notification practiced by every state delivers benefits that outweigh those costs. Louisiana’s experiment in ritual humiliation, which branded registrants with orange letters they had to display in every transaction that required producing a government-issued ID, compounded those costs without offering any plausible benefits.

One problem with sex offender registries is that they cover a wide range of crimes, including many that do not involve violence, force, or physical contact. While people tend to imagine rapists or child molesters when they hear the term sex offender, the reality can be quite different, in ways that are important in assessing the danger that a person might pose to the general public or to people in particular age groups. . . .

The second line of each record in the state’s registry shows the offender’s “tier,” which corresponds to various crimes classified by severity, ranging from Tier 1 (least serious, requiring registration for 15 years) to Tier 3 (most serious, requiring lifetime registration). Further down in the record, you can see the statute under which the registrant was convicted (e.g., “carnal knowledge of a juvenile”), which still omits potentially important details.

The driver’s license warning required by Louisiana’s law did not provide even that much information, meaning that anyone who saw it was invited to assume the worst. Tazin Hill, the man who challenged the law, completed his prison sentence in 2013. He was convicted of having sex with a 14-year-old when he was 32, which placed him in Tier 1. But anyone who saw his license had no way of knowing the nature or severity of his offense. Rebelling at this government-imposed badge of shame, Hill excised the “SEX OFFENDER” label from his license and covered the gap with clear tape, which resulted in the criminal charges that gave rise to this case.

Another problem with sex offender registries is the mistaken assumption that people who fall into this broad category are more likely to commit additional crimes than, say, robbers, burglars, or arsonists. When it upheld mandatory “treatment” of sex offenders in prison, for example, the Supreme Court relied on a highly dubious recidivism estimate that was repudiated by its original source but has nevertheless been cited repeatedly by lower courts. The “SEX OFFENDER” stamp on Louisiana driver’s licenses, even more than the registry, promoted such erroneous fears by implying that the bearer posed an ongoing threat, no matter the details of his crime, how long ago it occurred, or how he had behaved since he completed his sentence.

The empirically unjustified belief that sex offenders are highly prone to recidivism is especially inaccurate and damaging when applied to people convicted as minors, who are included in Louisiana’s registry and therefore had to carry “SEX OFFENDER” IDs or driver’s licenses.

Read the complete piece here at Reason.

The post Registry and other restrictions on “sex offenders” serve punitive, not safety, purpose appeared first on Restore Georgia.

We have been criticized for this practice, but we feel it is vital to publicly recognize those whose efforts and contributions have been so valuable to NARSOL and to the advocacy we represent, and to recognize them with more than words. The plaques, which are donated to NARSOL, are a physical, visible symbol of their efforts and our appreciation.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a person within the NARSOL family who, as the name of the award suggests, has been constant in loyalty and effort and whose service has gone above and beyond for a prolonged period of time. As one of NARSOL’s original founders, Paul Shannon received the first of these awards, and it is now fully named the Paul E. Shannon Lifetime Achievement Award.

This year’s recipient is only the third to be so honored, and NARSOL was proud to present it to Mary Sue Molnar. As she told the audience at the banquet, when she started her journey to where she is now, she knew nothing, and an internet search on the topic produced only two results: SOSEN and NARSOL. She started studying and learning and reaching out to those who could help, and in this quest she connected with Paul Shannon. The rest, as they say, is history. The group she organized, Texas Voices for Reason and Justice, was NARSOL’s first affiliated group.

The Braveheart Award is given to a person who is not within the NARSOL family but has, by his or her actions,  demonstrated courage and fidelity in support of NARSOL’s vision and mission by embracing our advocacy either directly or indirectly as evidenced by the good works they are doing or have done. This year’s winner, Emily Horowitz, has long been a spokesperson for rationality based on factual information in creating law and policy affecting persons required to register and persons with sexual offense issues. As a recognized scholar and researcher, Emily speaks and publishes the truths that NARSOL embraces.

Don Thurber, NARSOL’s 2021 Advocate of the Year recipient, truly exemplifies the meaning behind this award: It is for an individual who  is either a member or donor of NARSOL and has demonstrated remarkable fidelity to our vision and mission. Don is NARSOL’s advocate representative for the state of South Carolina and has for several years served as our conference MC. Without Don’s deep voice and wonderful elocution opening our conferences, making announcements, giving directions, and starting each day, NARSOL’s conferences would not be the same.

We are pleased this year to present two new awards.

The title for the first of these, Excellence in Leadership, speaks for itself. There is no one equivalent to this year’s recipient who should be so honored. As executive director, Brenda Jones has been our leader for ten years, beginning when NARSOL was still RSOL. Under her leadership NARSOL has grown and flourished into what it is today, the largest national organization dedicated solely to service on behalf of those adversely affected by harsh, ineffective sexual offense laws, policies, and registries.

Also awarded for the first time this year is the Excellence in Service Award. Again, the title speaks for itself. Andy Stein, the award’s first recipient, is a “techie,” and his skill with his craft is seen, behind the scenes, in NARSOL’s various websites and online platforms and, in a more visible setting, as the sound and film engineer at our conferences. He has been faithful in his service and is well deserving of this award.

NARSOL is very proud of all our recipients and so thankful for their service and their achievements.

However, our greatest thanks and appreciation goes to those of you who attended our conference. In this time of health concerns and travel difficulties, those who came to Houston are stars, and mere words cannot fully convey our gratitude. We regret that we were unable to engage personally with everyone who attended. If you wished to speak with any board member and did not have that opportunity, please contact us through email or through the website.

And remember Raleigh; our next conference will be there in June, 2022 — only nine months away.

The post NARSOL’s 2021 award winners and a big Thank You to conference attendees appeared first on Restore Georgia.