HB 421: Interstate Sexual Predator Prevention Act; enact

Under current Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 16-6-5), a person commits the crime of enticing a child for indecent purposes by soliciting, enticing, or taking a child under 16 to any place for the purpose of child molestation or indecent acts. This bill adds a new way the crime can be committed: traveling from another state for the purpose of child molestation or indecent acts against a child under 16. The bill accomplishes this by inserting the phrase 'or travels from another state' into the existing statute, so the offense now covers both bringing a child somewhere and someone crossing state lines themselves with that intent. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not list a separate penalty section, meaning the existing penalties for enticing a child for indecent purposes would apply to this new form of the offense.

• Adds 'travels from another state' as a new way to commit the crime of enticing a child for indecent purposes under O.C.G.A. § 16-6-5.
• Applies the offense to a person who crosses into Georgia from another state intending to molest or commit indecent acts against a child under 16.
• Keeps the existing age threshold of under 16 years old for the child involved.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with this change.

The change affects people who travel to Georgia from another state intending to molest a child or commit indecent acts, law enforcement and prosecutors who charge this offense, and Georgia courts that apply the enticement statute in these cases.

The change would let Georgia prosecutors charge someone under the child enticement statute simply for traveling into the state with the intent to molest a child, even if the person never physically transported the child anywhere, closing a gap for out-of-state offenders.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 16-6-5 to add 'or travels from another state' to the existing language covering taking a child to any place for indecent purposes.
• Section 1 keeps the existing threshold that the child must be under 16 years old.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws but does not itself set a new penalty, leaving the offense's existing penalty structure in place.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senado)
2. 2026-03-19Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
3. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
4. 2026-03-09Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
5. 2026-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
6. 2026-03-06House Third Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
7. 2026-03-04House Postponed (Cámara de Representantes)
8. 2026-03-03House Postponed (Cámara de Representantes)

• Darlene Taylor (R, HD-173)Patrocinador principal
• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Mandi Ballinger (R, HD-023)
• Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes6 de marzo de 2026

   164 a favor, 0 en contra (2 sin votar, 11 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #675

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado31 de marzo de 2026

   39 a favor, 10 en contra (2 sin votar, 3 ausentes)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

• child protection
• criminal law
• sex offenses
• interstate travel