State Sen.

Greg Hecht's bill aimed at stiffer penalties for pimps who take advantage

of children has cleared a Senate Judiciary subcommittee.

Hecht, a Democrat,

represents north Fayette and parts of three other counties.

Senate Bill

34 would make it a felony to entire or coerce anyone under 18 into prostitution,

and a subcommittee amendment would require a minimum five-year or maximum

20-year sentence for those convicted.

Previously,

the crime has been a misdemeanor.

SB 34 also

provides for forfeiture of a home or vehicle used for child pimping.

"There

are individuals now who are making children as young as 10 and 11 years

old into prostitutes and ruining their lives," said Hecht. "Many

of these children, who had been homeless previously, become drug addicts

and attempt suicide. The plight of these vulnerable young children is

awful.

"This

is not a victimless crime," he added. "We need to put these

pimps in prison, take their cars, and provide better life opportunities

for these young children who have little means available and often no

home in which to live."

The bill also

increases penalties for escape from jail. "Our sheriffs of Georgia

explained to me that many drug dealers were considering the misdemeanor

penalty of escape from jail to be a cost of doing business," Hecht

said.

"Next,

we need to work on better opportunities and programs for wayward children

without homes," Hecht said.

A more recent

Hecht bill, providing for tax exempt savings accounts for targeted purposes,

is in the Public Finance and Utilities Committee, he said.

If the bill

passes, you'll be able to open an "individual development account,"

drawing tax-free interest, to be used for post-secondary education or

job training, buying a primary residence, major repairs for a primary

residence or to capitalize or use as working capital for a small business.

Deposits of up to $1,200 a year could be matched by your employer or a

bank or credit union, up to $2,000 a year, with the employer receiving

a 50 percent tax credit.

"It's

a bipartisan effort," said Hecht, adding that the bill has been introduced

in the state house by Rep. Charles Scheid of Woodstock, a Republican.

The bill will

help employers provide an additional incentive to hang onto their workers,

Hecht said. "This is a great incentive to stay at a business,"

he said.

Participants

are required to get financial counseling.

Another Hecht

bill, calling for creation of a study committee to find out why gas prices

have been soaring, has been passed out of the Finance and Public Utilities

Committee with a favorable recommendation, and is now being considered

"I hope

it will make it to the floor this week," he said.

Hecht represents

portions of Clayton, Douglas, Fayette and Fulton counties. He chairs the

Corrections Committee, is vice chairman of the Judiciary Committee, is

chairman of an Appropriations subcommittee, and serves as a member of

the Insurance and Labor Committee.