'A big step': Gov. Kemp visits Athens to sign bill creating GBI cold case unit

Flanked by family members of those seeking justice for the violent deaths of loved ones, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law Friday in Athens a recently passed bill that creates and funds a cold case unit within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The bill, dubbed the Coleman-Baker Act, was passed weeks ago by the Georgia General Assembly and only awaited Kemp’s signature to become law.

Kemp, his wife, Marty, and others gathered inside the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse for the ceremonial signing. The bill provides for $5.4 million to establish the cold case unit.

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Before he put pen to paper, Kemp addressed the families there whose loved ones lives were "cut tragically short." He said to them that while no law can "mend your broken heart," he hopes the bill can help them find justice.

The bill is named in honor of University of Georgia law school student Tara Baker, who was slain Jan. 19, 2001, in her Athens home, and Rhonda Sue Coleman, 18, who was slain May 17, 1990, in her hometown of Hazelhurst.

The killings of the two young women remains unsolved and are now known as “cold cases.”

Following the signing, Baker's family said Tara Baker believed in the power of the law to better peoples' lives and that they felt a sense of pride on her behalf that her name is attached to this legislation.

"This is her legacy," said sister Meredith Baker Schroeder. "This will do exactly what she wanted to do: help people."

Tara Baker's mother, Virginia, simply called the bill "hope," but not necessarily for her family. Though she hasn't given up, after more than 20 years she recognizes that justice may not be immediately forthcoming in her daughter's case. But she believes the bill can help other families who are struggling with the kind of loss she endured.

"This bill is not for us," Virginia Baker said. "This is for other families; to help them. We don't want people to find themselves in our situation 22 years later."

The parents of Rhonda Sue Coleman echoed that sentiment.

"It's a big step, not only for us, but other cold cases," said Rhonda's father Milton Coleman. "... She always wanted to help people. This bill represents Rhonda because she always wanted to help somebody out."

Also at the signing were Cameron Jay Harrelson, creator of Classic City Podcast, which featured the Baker case as its first podcast, and state Rep. Houston Gaines, R-Athens, who is credited with championing the bill.

The bill also creates a requirement for jurisdictions across the state to provide an accurate count of their unsolved homicide cases.

In addition, the measure provides for families to receive timely death certificates as sometimes law enforcement withhold that information in unsolved cases.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Bill signed by Gov. Kemp in Athens to create cold case unit in GBI