SORRB

Standing Procedures

ARTICLE 1: Duties and Responsibilities of Board Members

It is acknowledged that this is a voluntary Board, and that each Board Member has obligations, duties, and responsibilities in addition to those of being a Board Member. However, in accepting a position with SORRB, each Board Member implicitly accepts our mission in protecting Georgia’s children and communities at large by identifying convicted sexual offenders that present the greatest risk of sexually offending. To that end, each Board Member also implicitly accepts the following duties and responsibilities:

1.1 Every attempt will be made to review each case prior to each meeting.

1.2 Board Members are expected to attend every Board meeting, either in person or by teleconference. Board Members must turn on their video throughout the meeting to confirm their identity and assist minute taking. If a Board Member must miss a meeting, he or she shall notify the Executive Director as soon as they are aware that they will miss the meeting.

1.3 After a total of two (2) unexplained missed scheduled meetings, the Chair will contact the Board Member to discuss attendance. After an additional two (2) unexplained missed scheduled meetings (4 total), the Chair will contact the Board Member via letter.

1.4 The Board meets between 10 and 12 times each year. The Chair will make a request to the Governor to remove any Board Member who misses seven (7) meetings in a calendar year.

1.5 Board Members are expected to attend working sessions at the designated location. These working sessions are defined as those having an impact on the function and mission of the Board and Agency.

ARTICLE 2: Conduct Unbecoming of a Board Member

2.1 Board Members shall conduct themselves in a manner that will not reflect negatively on the Board and its responsibilities.

2.2 Any communication dealing with Board business is subject to Open Records, public scrutiny, and potential admission in court.

ARTICLE 3: Membership

3.1 If a Board Member wishes to resign, they shall notify the Board Chair and Executive Director. The Board Member shall then submit a written resignation letter to the Governor’s office, with a copy to the Executive Director.

3.2 If a life changing event prevents, prohibits, or hinders a Board Member from fulfilling their duties and responsibilities to the Board, the Board Member shall notify the Board Chair to discuss, consider and explore all options that will best serve the Board Member and the Board.

3.3 The Executive Director will notify the Board’s Legal Representative and Board Chair in the event of a Board Member’s change in membership status. The Board Chair will notify the Board. The details of the change in membership will not be shared without specific permission from the affected Board Member.

ARTICLE 4: Meetings

4.1 A Special Meeting of the Board may be held at the discretion of the Chair or the Executive Director, as he or she deems necessary.

4.2 Notice: Agency staff will provide the Board, via email, with necessary meeting materials, which would include but not be limited to the agenda, minutes from the previous meeting and teleconferencing information at least two (2) working days prior to the next scheduled meeting. In the event the Board Chair or the Executive Director deems it necessary, a Special Meeting may be conducted if each Board Member is given 24 hours’ notice via email and/or telephone call.

4.3 Public Notification: Information pertaining to the time, place, and date of the Board’s meetings as well as any meeting of a committee of the Board shall be available to the general public. This information shall be posted in the public area of the Board’s office and on SORRB’s website.

4.4 Minutes: A record shall be kept of all actions of the Board. The minutes shall be recorded in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised Edition. Copies of the official minutes of all Board meetings shall be maintained by the Executive Director and posted on the agency website.

4.5.1 Schedule of meetings for each year will be posted on the agency website.

ARTICLE 5: Voting

5.1 Voting on the classification of all cases will be conducted by individual roll call vote.

5.2 Board Members must recuse themselves from any case not read and/or any case they have worked on as part of their job duties outside of SORRB.

ARTICLE 6: Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Director

6.1 It shall be the duty of the Board to hire the Executive Director.

6.2 The Board shall assist the Executive Director in hiring a Deputy Director. The Board will select a five-member panel, which includes the Chair and Vice Chair. The panel will also include the Executive Director.

6.3 The duties and responsibilities of the Executive Director, or the Deputy Director in the absence of the Executive Director, shall include, and not be limited to, the following:

(a) Day to day operations of the Agency.

(b) Hiring of Agency staff.

(d) Provide to Board Members the Agency Policies and Procedures upon request.

(e) Advise the Board of any EEOC complaints filed against a staff member.

(f) Provide orientation training to new Board Members within four (4) months of a Board Member’s appointment.

(g) Notify the existing Board Members of the appointment, resignation, or removal of Board Members.

(h) Provide a copy of the budget and anticipated allocations to the Board within two months of receiving the Governor’s proposed budget. Be prepared to discuss the budget and allocations with the Board at the next scheduled meeting.

(i) Attend all Board meetings and trainings for the Board. Should the Executive Director be unable to attend a Board meeting, he/she will appoint a designee to attend.

(j) Adhere to the Executive Director’s job description as contained in the Agency Policies and Procedures Manual and any and all other duties as assigned by the Board.

(k) Attend training sessions, conferences, and the like, necessary to effectively carry out the duties and responsibilities of the Executive Director. This shall include the attendance at the Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse (ATSA) annually. If funds remain, the Research and Training Specialist may also attend the conference annually. Further, at the discretion of the Executive Director, assuming sufficient funds remain, Clinical Evaluators may attend the conference as well.

ARTICLE 7: Risk Assessments

7.1 Actuarial risk assessments including, but not limited to, STATIC-99R, STATIC-02R, and/or CPORT will be used in conjunction with all available information to assess the risk of all convicted sexual offenders who must be classified per GA Code § 42-1-14. A totality of the available information will be used to level each offender.

Updated June 20, 2024

SEXUAL OFFENDER RISK REVIEW BOARD SPECIAL RULES OF ORDER

The Board shall follow Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised for Small Boards with the following exceptions:

A. A second will be required with every Motion.

B. Board meetings shall be held via Zoom or at the SORRB office.

a) Zoom meeting time: Agency staff shall schedule the Zoom meeting to begin 10 minutes before the start of each meeting. The meeting will be streamed to YouTube for the public.

b) Form of meeting notice: Notice of a meeting shall include the date, time, and YouTube channel link.

c) Meeting-room equipment: The agency shall have equipment for video and audio for board members to connect via Zoom or attend in person, and for the public the ability to stream to YouTube.

d) Quorum Calls: Members who participate in the meeting via Zoom or by phone shall announce themselves and any guests at the first opportunity after joining the meeting. The presence of a quorum shall be established by roll call at the beginning of the meeting and upon the request of any Board Member or the Executive Director. Such a request may be made following the departure of any member or following the taking of any vote for which the announced totals add to less than a quorum.

e) Departure announcements:: Members who leave the meeting prior to adjournment shall announce their departure.

f) Loss of meeting-room connection: If at any point during the meeting there is a loss of connection to either the board members joining via Zoom or the public joining via YouTube, any business should be placed on hold. If connection cannot be reestablished within a reasonable amount of time, the meeting should be rescheduled for the following week.

g) Other technical malfunctions and requirements: Each member is responsible for his or her connection to the meeting; no action shall be invalidated on the grounds that the loss of, or poor quality of, a member’s individual connection prevented him or her from participating in the meeting.

Updated June 20, 2024