---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-12-101. Legislative purpose.
collection: code
id: 16-12-101
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-12-101 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-101
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-101.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-101/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch12-17-(v14b)-2024-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=a591fa7b_0#page=141
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-100.5.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-102.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORALS / OBSCENITY AND RELATED OFFENSES / SALE OR DISTRIBUTION OF HARMFUL MATERIALS TO MINORS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-12-101. Legislative purpose.

The General Assembly finds that the sale, loan, and exhibition of harmful materials to minors has become a matter of increasingly grave concern to the people of this state. The elimination of such sales, loans, and exhibition and the consequent protection of minors from harmful materials are in the best interest of the morals and general welfare of the citizens of this state in general and of minors in this state in particular. The accomplishment of these ends can best be achieved by providing public prosecutors with an effective power to commence criminal proceedings against persons who engage in the sale, loan, or exhibition of harmful materials to minors.

## History

Code 1981, § 16-12-101, enacted by Ga. L. 1983, p. 1437, § 2.