The Georgia Senate voted 55–0 last Friday to pass Senate Bill 542, legislation aimed at strengthening criminal accountability for clergy sexual abuse in Georgia. Advocates say the measure closes a gap in state law and creates a path to justice for survivors of abuse by religious leaders.
Filed on Feb. 20, SB-542 seeks to amend Chapter 6 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Georgia’s statute governing “improper sexual contact by employee or agent,” to include clergy members within its scope. Currently, the law only applies to certain individuals in power, such as educators or law enforcement officials.
Under the bill, a clergy member could face criminal charges for engaging in sexually explicit conduct or sexual contact with a person receiving their pastoral counseling or who is otherwise under their spiritual authority. Consent could not be used by perpetrators as a legal defense when a position of authority is used to obtain sexual access.
The legislation attracted strong bipartisan support, with 24 co-sponsors in the Senate prior to its passage.
“Today the Georgia Senate sent a clear message: Spiritual authority must never be used as a weapon for sexual exploitation,” said abuse survivor Hayle Swinson, who testified in late February in support of the bill.
Swinson reported enduring sexual abuse while she was a student at Truett McConnell University, when the vice president of student services, Bradley Reynolds, allegedly groomed her by becoming a personal spiritual mentor and eventually abusing her in the basement of his home numerous times.
“This unanimous vote tells survivors across our state that our voices matter and that accountability applies to every position of power — including religious leaders in our institutions,” Swinson said.
The Georgia State Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the bill Feb. 25 following testimony from Swinson and others who emphasized the need for stronger legal protections.
“SB-542 is important to me as a follower of Christ, as the husband of a woman who has been impacted by improper and criminal action by a clergyman and as the father of two daughters — both of whom know a life where we are in church when the doors are open,” said Randy Robertson, the bill’s lead sponsor. “We are called to hold those who serve in the pulpit to a higher standard, and this bill does exactly that.”
Kim Nunes, legislative director for grassroots effort Clergy Law Reform, said the Senate’s unanimous vote represents a significant step forward in the effort to protect the vulnerable in religious environments.
“Today’s unanimous vote is an important step, and survivors and advocates across Georgia are watching what happens next,” Nunes said. “The House now has the opportunity to ensure that no one can hide behind spiritual authority to avoid accountability. Georgians deserve laws that recognize the reality of power dynamics and protect them from exploitation.”
March 6 was Crossover Day at the Georgia Capitol, the deadline for legislation to pass one chamber in order to remain eligible for consideration this session. With Senate passage secured, Senate Bill 542 now moves to the Georgia House of Representatives.