Senate Bill 547
By: Senators Strickland of the 42nd, Robertson of the 29th, Hatchett of the 50th, Bearden of
the 30th, Williams of the 25th and others
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 16-6-13 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
penalties for violating Code Sections 16-6-9 through 16-6-12, so as to modify the penalties
for the offenses of pimping and pandering; to provide that all such offenses shall be
punishable as felony offenses; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date and
for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Code Section 16-6-13 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to penalties for
violating Code Sections 16-6-9 through 16-6-12, is amended by revising subsection (a) as
follows:
"(a) <del>Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, a</del> <ins>A</ins> person
convicted of violating:
(1) Code Section 16-6-10 shall be punished as for a misdemeanor of a high and
aggravated nature, and at the sole discretion of the judge, all but 24 hours of any term of
imprisonment imposed may be suspended, stayed, or probated;
(2) Code Section 16-6-9 shall be punished as for a misdemeanor;
(3) Code Section 16-6-11 <del>for a:
(A) First offense shall be punished as for a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated
nature, and at the sole discretion of the judge, all but 72 hours of any term of
imprisonment imposed may be suspended, stayed, or probated; and
(B) Second or subsequent offense</del> shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by
a term of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than ten years; or
(4) Code Section 16-6-12 <del>for a:
(A) First offense shall be punished as for a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated
nature, and at the sole discretion of the judge, all but 72 hours of any term of
imprisonment imposed may be suspended, stayed, or probated; and
(B) Second or subsequent offense</del> shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by
a term of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than ten years."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and shall apply to all offenses committed
on or after such date.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.