SB547: SB547 Offenses of Pimping and Pandering; modify the penalties

This bill changes how judges must sentence people convicted under Georgia's pimping and pandering laws (O.C.G.A. §§ 16-6-9 through 16-6-12). It rewrites the penalty section, O.C.G.A. § 16-6-13, to set different punishment tiers depending on which specific offense a person is convicted of and whether it is a first or repeat offense. Under the rewritten law, a conviction under Code Section 16-6-10 would be treated as a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature, with at least 24 hours of jail time that a judge cannot suspend. A conviction under Code Section 16-6-9 would remain a straight misdemeanor. First offenses under Code Sections 16-6-11 and 16-6-12 would be misdemeanors of a high and aggravated nature with at least 72 hours of mandatory jail time, while a second or later offense under either section would be a felony punishable by one to ten years in prison. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, and apply only to offenses committed on or after that date.

• Rewrites the penalty structure in O.C.G.A. § 16-6-13 for offenses under Code Sections 16-6-9 through 16-6-12, which cover prostitution-related, pimping, and pandering crimes.
• Sets a mandatory minimum of 24 hours of jail time that cannot be suspended for a conviction under Code Section 16-6-10, treated as a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
• Sets a mandatory minimum of 72 hours of jail time for a first conviction under Code Sections 16-6-11 or 16-6-12, also treated as a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
• Makes a second or later conviction under Code Sections 16-6-11 or 16-6-12 a felony punishable by one to ten years in prison.
• Keeps a conviction under Code Section 16-6-9 punishable as a plain misdemeanor.
• Sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, applying only to offenses committed on or after that date.

People charged with or convicted of pimping, pandering, or related offenses under O.C.G.A. §§ 16-6-9 through 16-6-12; judges who set sentences for these crimes; and prosecutors and jail systems handling first-time versus repeat offenders under the new tiered penalties.

The bill changes how much time people convicted of these offenses must actually serve, adding mandatory minimum jail terms for first offenses and turning repeat pandering-related offenses into felonies with prison time of one to ten years, rather than leaving those decisions entirely to judicial discretion.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 16-6-13 to set out separate penalties for violations of Code Sections 16-6-9, 16-6-10, 16-6-11, and 16-6-12.
• A conviction under Code Section 16-6-10 is a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature with a mandatory minimum of 24 hours of jail time.
• A conviction under Code Section 16-6-9 is punished as a standard misdemeanor with no special mandatory minimum stated.
• A first offense under Code Section 16-6-11 or 16-6-12 is a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature with a mandatory minimum of 72 hours of jail time.
• A second or subsequent offense under Code Section 16-6-11 or 16-6-12 is a felony punishable by one to ten years in prison.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, applying only to offenses committed on or after that date.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-06Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-06Act 417
3. 2026-05-06Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-25House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-03-25House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-03-19House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-03-10House Second Readers (House)

• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)Primary sponsor
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2026

   48 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #668

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 25, 2026

   166 yea, 2 nay (1 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #761

• pimping and pandering laws
• criminal sentencing
• human trafficking related crimes
• Georgia criminal code