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Resident urges charter change to add "second chance" protections; commission directs attorney to draft review
Summary
Law student and community advocate Lawrence Brandon told the commission the city's charter policy discriminates against justice-involved residents and asked for a 2/3 charter amendment; commissioners asked legal staff to draft vetted language and assess litigation risk and directed the attorney to produce recommended language for future consideration.
Law student Lawrence Brandon told the Augusta Richmond County Commission on March 18 that the commission should amend Section 140 of the local charter to provide explicit protections or consideration for residents with prior nonviolent justice system involvement who can demonstrate substantial rehabilitation.
Brandon said he has pushed the issue for two years and argued the existing wording creates an “underinclusive” classification that he believes would fail rational-basis review in court. He said the change would…
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