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.

dhamrick@TheCitize