When Georgia Sen. Renee Unterman first tackled child sex trafficking with a "lobby day" at the Capitol, supporters numbered about 50.
Some six years later, hundreds were expected Thursday to watch the state Senate approve the latest set of proposals, including measures that would force convicted traffickers to register as sex offenders and require them to pay into a state fund to help victims recover.
"This is justice for people who don't have a voice," Unterman said before her colleagues gave near-unanimous passage to Senate Bill 8 and Senate Resolution 7. "It's not black (or) white, it's not Democrat (or) Republican. It's actually taking care of Georgia's children, and that crosses over every line."
Sponsored by Unterman as companion pieces, SB 8 and SR 7 would establish a new Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund — funded in large part through new $2,500 fines on convicted traffickers and an annual $5,000 fee on adult entertainment establishments.
The money would then pay for physical and mental health care, housing, education, job training, child care, legal help and other services for victims.
Other components of the legislation include a requirement that convicted traffickers be listed on the state sex offender registry, an increase in Georgia’s statute of limitations for child sex trafficking victims who wish to file a civil suit from 23 to 25 years old and an addition to the state’s civil forfeiture laws allowing the seizure of traffickers’ motor vehicles.
A wide range of supporters
Advocates include Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan, who wants to close unintentional loopholes left on the books after 2011, when lawmakers increased penalties for sex trafficking to include more jail time and $100,000 fines.
SB 8, which passed on a 52-3 vote, sets out the parameters of the proposal. SR 7 would ask voters statewide for permission to create the new state fund and use it solely to help trafficking victims. Because SR 7 proposes amending the Georgia Constitution, it requires a higher bar to pass the Legislature, including a two-thirds majority in each chamber. It met that bar in the Senate, passing 53-3.
Some of the chamber's most conservative members joined its liberal Democrats to support the legislation, including state Sen. Mike Crane, R-Newnan, a construction company owner and missionary who would not usually support increasing government regulation and costs.
“There are a few of us in this chamber and on the other side of the (Capitol) that would ask, ‘Is this the proper role of government, should we raise taxes or fees?’” he said on the floor, referencing what he called an impact fee on adult business owners. “There’s a great cost to our society for what they do. We’re just saying they’re going to share the burden.”
Unterman has formed an alliance with a bipartisan group of House members to pass the legislation. They are working together to merge Unterman's version of the proposal with a similar House version — House Bill 244 — with hopes to assure final passage. They have also nicknamed the effort as the "Safe Harbor/Rachel's Act" in honor of a young woman who testified earlier this week about being trafficked.
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