Friday, November 24, 2000 |
Commissioners back bill to criminalize child porn
The Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously last week to send to the 2001 Georgia General Assembly a proposed amendment that would make sexual exploitation of children a felony instead of a misdemeanor. The "Child Sexual Commerce Prevention Act of 2000" would strengthen the Official Code Of Georgia by creating harsher penalties for persons involved with children in prostitution. Fulton County Commissioner Nancy A. Boxill, Vice Chairman Emma I. Darnell and Commissioner Karen Elaine Webster co-sponsored the amendment. The Fulton County legislative delegation, the county's state representatives, will present the proposed law to the Georgia General Assembly for the 2001 session. "From a legal standpoint, this Board of Commissioners demands these crimes no longer be considered a misdemeanor charge," said Boxill. Persons convicted under the proposed law would face five to 20 years for "pimping or pandering" children under age 18, plus two years for each year the victim is under age 17. Fines range from $2,500 to $10,000, plus three times the proceeds from solicitation. Boxill created the bill after learning from Fulton County Juvenile Court Judge Nina Hickson that the court each month sees 10 to 12 cases in which children are involved in prostitution. That led to a major multi-agency summit on how to address the problem.
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