Georgia committee advances bill adding clergy to law on exploitation by authority figures after survivor testimony

ATLANTA — The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Senate Bill 542 on a unanimous voice vote after testimony from the bill sponsor, a survivor and faith-organization representatives.

The sponsor explained the measure would add "clergy" into existing Georgia criminal statutes that address situations where a person in authority uses power or influence to obtain sexual access, and said the bill is intended to align Georgia with other states that have recognized the impact of spiritual authority on consent. The sponsor described a "pastoral counseling or spiritual authority relationship" as one where "a reasonable person would view the clergy member as exercising influence, trust or authority over another person's spiritual, emotional or personal well-being."

Haley Swenson, who identified herself as a survivor and advocate, testified in support and described the dynamics she said the bill addresses: "When a clergy member uses spiritual authority to obtain sexual access, the power differential alone eliminates the possibility of free consent." She told the committee that 14 states have already included similar concepts in criminal law and said Georgia currently lacks a clear path to justice for such adult survivors.

Mike Griffin, public affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, also spoke in favor, calling the bill "specific" and saying his group worked with legal partners in reviewing the language.

Committee members examined the bill's definitions, including the scope of "clergy member" and whether the statutory language could be read broadly to include volunteers or lay teachers. One senator asked whether a Sunday-school teacher could be captured by the definition; the sponsor replied the statute would apply where a person in a leadership or pastoral role used their position to manipulate someone into a nonconsensual relationship.

The committee adopted AM620046 as a committee substitute and then voted to pass the bill by committee substitute; the motion to pass was made and seconded on the record and the committee chair announced the vote carried unanimously. The measure will now proceed according to the Senate's scheduling rules.

Next steps: SB 542 moves out of committee; sponsors urged colleagues to expedite consideration in the chamber to align Georgia with other states addressing spiritual-authority exploitation.