Wednesday, February 21, 2001
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Wednesday, February 21, 2001 |
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Hecht anticrime, natural gas bills moving swiftly By DAVE
HAMRICK State Sen. Greg Hecht's Crime Prevention Act of 2001 was expected to pass the Senate Tuesday and move on to the House. "It's got a lot of support on the House side," Hecht said this week, "so I'm hoping it will move on through." Hecht, a Jonesboro Democrat, represents north Fayette and parts of three other counties in the 34th District. The Crime Prevention Act, Senate Bill 34, provides a new category of penalty for escape, changes the definition of pandering and provides for forfeiture of a motor vehicle or home used in the commission of pandering. If the bill passes, those who use their cars or homes in pimping to turn children into prostitutes will lose them, and the crime will be a felony. "It's presently a misdemeanor and these people just consider that a cost of doing business," said Hecht. "This has just got to stop." Also in the bill is a new one- to five-year penalty for prisoners who escape before they are convicted of a crime. Current law provides one to ten years only for convicted felons who escape. "Again, a lot of these drug dealers consider that a cost of business," said Hecht. Penalties for some drug crimes are very high, whereas "It's just 12 months if they run," he said. Also, persons will be charged with pandering if they solicit anyone under 18. Current law says the person solicited must be under 17. Hecht said he also is hoping for swift action on SB 217, aimed at tightening the reins on natural gas marketing companies. Introduced Friday, the bill already has 28 cosponsors. It would require that the companies get bills to customers within 30 days after the meter is read, and allow a 15-day grace period for payment. It also gives the Public Service Commission power to set a moratorium on shut-off of gas service if an emergency is declared, and the power to regulate prices if it determines that market forces are not working. For instance, if the PSC determines that collusion has occurred among marketers, or if the number of marketers drops below three, price controls would be authorized. Complaint remedies for consumers of natural gas also are included. "I think [the bill] is in good shape to move quickly," he said. Hecht said he is studying an initiative introduced last week by Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, aimed at reducing the number of state councils, commissions, boards and committees. Having sponsored one and cosponsored two new study committees himself in this session, Hecht said the lieutenant governor's proposal bears consideration. Taylor's study committee on the subject, appointed last year, issued a report last week recommending elimination of 22 percent of such entities. "Making state government more efficient and responsive to Georgia's citizens is an important issue to me," Taylor said. "He's got a point," Hecht conceded this week. Hecht has sponsored Senate Resolution 13, creating a study committee to determine why natural gas prices have risen so much, and cosponsored a study committee on equal pay for women and minorities and another to study abuse of children. "There may be a way to accomplish some of these tasks through standing committees," Hecht said. But, he added, sometimes the standing committees have too many other issues to deal with, and special study committees may still be necessary in some cases. Taylor's study committee on reduction of such groups identified 58 current groups that it says can be eliminated.
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