Georgia lawmakers pushing for compensation for wrongfully convicted
Should falsely imprisoned people be compensated?
Georgians who served time in prison after being wrongly convicted of a crime may soon be compensated. Some state lawmakers are sponsoring a bill that would make those who were wrongly incarcerated eligible for compensation.
ATLANTA - State lawmakers are pushing for a new bill (HB533) that would compensate individuals who were wrongfully convicted and later exonerated, aiming to help them rebuild their lives after years behind bars for crimes they did not commit.
What we know:
Georgia is one of only 11 states that does not have a formal system in place to compensate innocent individuals after wrongful incarceration.
The bipartisan bill, sponsored by State Representatives Katie Dempsey and Scott Holcomb, would create a judicial process for awarding compensation.
Under the proposal, exonerated individuals would receive $75,000 per year for each year they were imprisoned.
House Bill 533 under consideration
A new bill has been introduced that would overhaul the system used to compensate the wrongfully convicted in Georgia.
"It is time for us to take a strong step to take care of all who were wrongly prosecuted and served time for a crime they did not commit," said Rep. Katie Dempsey.
While previous efforts to pass similar legislation have failed, lawmakers remain hopeful that this bill will move forward this year.