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	Georgia Sex Offenders Will Not Be Allowed to Volunteer at Church Huliq June 30, 2008 http://www.huliq.com/63150/georgia-sex-offenders-will-not-be-allowed-volunteer-church Sex offenders are suing in Georgia for the right to help out at church. The Southern Center for Human Rights based in Atlanta filed a lawsuit on Tuesday on behalf of 15,400 sex offenders on Georgia's state registry. Georgia has some of the toughest sex offender statutes in the United States. The group is hoping to stop one more measure that is set to be placed on July 1, 2008. That new provision will make it illegal for those convicted of sexual crimes to volunteer at church. That means they will not be allowed to prepare for events, cook meals at a church kitchen or even sing in adult choirs. If a sex offender breaks the laws they face a prison term of 10 to 30 years. The laws are in place to keep children safe says sponsors of it. David Ralston, a Republican state representative and one of the measure's sponsors is quoted at Fox News: "It's designed to protect children, to keep people who have a history of pedophilia or sex crimes against children away from children so they're less likely to repeat. This latest filing is simply another tactic by those people who disagree with the whole purpose of the law and try to chip away at it until it's abolished." Other lawmakers though oppose the bill stating the positive effects of religion. "Thieves, robbers, murderers — we give them all a second chance," said Mark Hanson, senior pastor at New Beginnings Tabernacle, a small evangelical ministry in Buchanan, Ga. "It seems like under the sex offender law you're banned permanently from society," he said. "Without forgiveness and mercy, how do we expect anyone to start over?" The state stresses that the laws on board for those who are sex offenders are necessary to prevent future crimes. Sex offenders are allowed to attend church in Georgia they just will not allowed to volunteer. The laws are written to prevent volunteering at in any area where children are present.
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