A bill in the state legislature could compromise your privacy if you use certain prescribed or over-the-counter medicines, says the Libertarian Party of Georgia (LPGa).
HB 614, also referred to as the Georgia Prescription Monitoring Program Act, would create a database to monitor certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs, such as Ritalin, Xanax, most pain medications, sleep aids and any product containing pseudoephedrine.
The legislation has cleared committee and is awaiting placement on the calendar for a vote by the Georgia House of Representatives.
“Both the Georgia and United States Constitution are very clear on the individual’s right to privacy and due process,” says LPGa Legislative Director Jason Pye.
Paragraph XIII of the Georgia Constitution states, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue except upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation particularly describing the place or places to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.”
The Georgia Supreme Court has consistently held that privacy is considered a fundamental constitutional right in Georgia and is “recognized as having a value so essential to individual liberty in our society that [its] infringement merits careful scrutiny by the courts.”
According to a recent study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Georgia is one of the states that is more hostile to personal liberty issues. HB 614 is another piece of legislation from the Georgia General Assembly that is a direct assault on basic constitutional principles and individual liberty.
To find out more about this legislation, please visit
KnowYourRightsGeorgia.com
(http://www.knowyourrightsgeorgia.com/).
