SB 278 Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 16-6-13, relating to penalties for violating Code Sections 16-6-9 through 16-6-12 relating to: prostitution (9), keeping a place of prostitution (10), pimping (11), and pandering (12), respectively. The bill amends the punishment for prostitution to be treated as a misdemeanor, keeping a place of prostitution to be treated as a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature, pimping to be treated as a felony punished with at least one but no more than ten years of imprisonment. The bill also amends pandering to be treated as a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature the first time, and as a felony punished with at least one but no more than ten years of imprisonment the second and subsequent times. Furthermore, when a violation of Code Sections 16-6-10 through 16-6-12 involves the conduct of a person under the age of 16 years, the punishment is now at least ten years but not more than 30 years of imprisonment and a fine of $100,000.

Section 2 of the bill provides for the inclusion in the State Sexual Offender Registry, of individuals who violated Code Section 42-1-12 with regards to dangerous sexual offenses committed between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016. Similarly, the bill also provides for the inclusion in the State Sexual Offender Registry, of individuals who violated Code Section 42-1-12 with regards to dangerous sexual offenses committed after June 30, 2016.

SB 278 also adds the offense of trafficking a person for sexual servitude to the definition of 'Dangerous sexual offense,' which may consist of a multitude of similar offenses child molestation, rape, or others outlined in their respective code sections. This will require offenders to register with the State Sexual Offender Registry.