Subcommittee advances bill to make pimping a felony for repeat traffickers
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Summary
The panel voted to send to full committee a bill that would convert pimping from a misdemeanor to a felony on first offense for people with prior human‑trafficking convictions; prosecutors and nonprofits testified they commonly see recidivism and urged stronger penalties.
Representative Johnny Chastain presented LC481635, proposing that a person convicted of pimping (Ga. Code §16‑6‑11) should be charged with a felony on the first offense when the defendant has a prior conviction for human trafficking. "I would have thought pimping was already a felony in Georgia, but it's not on the first offense," Chastain said, explaining the change responds to recurring exploitation his office and special agents have observed.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Hilton of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit testified the change would help close a sentencing gap: "pimping's a a Nat's hair of daylight away from human trafficking," he said, and in at least one case a defendant with prior trafficking convictions faced only a misdemeanor pimping penalty. Camille Azolfagari, vice president of government affairs for StreetGrace and a former human‑trafficking prosecutor, described prosecutorial experience with offenders who later reoffend and said Georgia remains one of the last surrounding states with misdemeanor pimping.
A motion to "do pass" was approved by voice vote and the bill was scheduled for full committee consideration next week.
