ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia’s state Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would streamline the process people can use to get off probation for good behavior.
State Sen. Brian Strickland, a Republican from McDonough and the chief sponsor of Senate Bill 105, said that Georgia continues to have the nation’s highest number of people on probation despite criminal justice reform efforts undertaken in recent years.
The proposal passed by a vote of 53-0 and heads to the state House for more debate.
Currently, there are three pathways for people in Georgia to have their probation terminated for good behavior. But Strickland said the pathways are complicated and have had limited impact.
“Despite our good intentions, because of the complicated process, the current law that makes tens of thousands of Georgians eligible to have their probation terminated has only allowed a couple hundred people to take advantage of this process,” Strickland said.
The legislation would provide more consistency between those pathways and streamline the process. In order to qualify, individuals would have to pay their restitution, not have had their probation revoked within the past two years and not have been arrested for anything more than a minor traffic offense.
“In Georgia, we should incentivize individuals who make mistakes to serve their time, pay their restitution and stay out of trouble,” Strickland said.
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