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.