Does it take an amendment to the Georgia constitution to help victims of sex trafficking?

It might if the plan is to create a new state commission to take $2 million a year from sex criminals and adult entertainment establishments to fund “restorative services’’ for their victims.

The money raised will be called fees not taxes, and an amendment prevents our legislature from using it for other purposes. If this plan needs $2 million, we could get that and more from the $122 million settlement recently awarded our state in the Tenet Healthcare Medicaid fraud case.

That would not require a constitutional amendment — only that our elected officials act with integrity.

There are other plans that could prevent some of the harm to sex trafficking victims. Change our state laws which allow properties used for prostitution to quickly transfer ownership so illegal activities can continue.

Change our federal visa system which allows hundreds of poor women from Thailand and other countries to enter the US and be forced into prostitution with no follow up to verify compliance with terms of their visas. These plans will do some real good instead of doing what makes us feel good, and they can be done with money we will already have.

Tony Gardner
Cumming