HB 552: Brittany Patterson Act; enact

Under current Georgia law, a parent who lets a child walk to school alone, play outside without supervision, or stay home by themselves could potentially be investigated or charged under neglect, reckless conduct, or child cruelty statutes. This bill changes that by carving out specific 'independent activities' that parents may allow without it counting as neglect or a crime. The bill amends the definition of neglect in the juvenile code (O.C.G.A. § 15-11-2), the reckless conduct law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-60), and the cruelty to children law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70) to protect parents who let children walk or bike to school, travel to nearby businesses or parks, play outside, stay briefly in a parked car, or remain home alone under certain safety conditions. It also bars government agencies and officers from investigating or charging parents who follow these rules, and gives government employees who act in good faith under the new protocol immunity from civil and criminal liability. The law would take effect July 1, 2025, with the reckless conduct and child cruelty changes applying to offenses committed on or after that date.

• Rewrites the definition of neglect in Georgia's juvenile code (O.C.G.A. § 15-11-2) to exclude a parent's good-faith decision to let a child do independent activities like walking to school or playing outside.
• Adds an exception to the reckless conduct law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-60) so that a parent's compliant decisions about a child's independence are not treated as a gross deviation from the standard of care.
• Adds new provisions to the child cruelty law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70) stating a parent does not violate the law by allowing supervised independence such as staying home alone under listed safeguards.
• Prohibits state and local government entities and officers from investigating, detaining, arresting, or charging a parent who is following the new rules, unless the child appears injured or at imminent risk of harm.
• Grants government officers, employees, and agents immunity from civil and criminal liability if a child is injured or dies while they acted in good-faith compliance with the new protocol.
• Sets the law's effective date as July 1, 2025, with the reckless conduct and child cruelty changes applying to offenses committed on or after that date.

Parents and legal guardians of minor children in Georgia, children themselves, law enforcement officers, the Division of Family and Children Services and its caseworkers, juvenile courts, and any state or local government employee or agency involved in investigating child neglect, reckless conduct, or child cruelty allegations.

Parents who let their kids walk to school, play outside, or stay home alone under specific safety conditions would gain explicit legal protection from neglect findings, criminal charges, or child welfare investigations. Government workers who follow the same rules in good faith would be shielded from lawsuits or prosecution if a child is later hurt.

• Section 3 revises O.C.G.A. § 15-11-2's definition of 'neglect' to add a list of protected independent activities, including travel to school, outdoor play, staying in a parked car under safe conditions, and staying home alone with certain safeguards.
• Section 4 amends O.C.G.A. § 16-5-60 (reckless conduct) so that parental decisions consistent with the new child cruelty exception do not count as a gross deviation from the standard of care, and bars government interference with compliant parents.
• Section 4 also adds a new subsection giving government officers, employees, and agents immunity from criminal and civil liability for good-faith compliance with the reckless conduct protocol.
• Section 5 adds new subsections (f) through (i) to O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70 (cruelty to children), listing the same independent activities as exceptions and stating a child will not be deemed abused or neglected unless injured or at imminent risk of harm from an identifiable source.
• Section 5 also bars government entities from investigating, detaining, arresting, or charging compliant parents, and grants government employees immunity from liability for acting under the new rules.
• Section 6 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, and specifies the reckless conduct and child cruelty changes apply to offenses committed on or after that date.

1. 2025-02-24House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-02-21House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-02-20House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Noelle Kahaian (R, HD-081)Patrocinador principal
• Charlice Byrd (R, HD-020)
• Long Tran (D, HD-080)

• parental rights
• child neglect law
• free-range parenting
• child welfare investigations
• criminal justice reform