Neighbor News
Rep. Chrissy Sommer's Weekly Capitol Connection - May 20, 2016
News From the Missouri State Capitol to the First State Capitol
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Fighting Human Traffickers (HB 1562)
This legislative session the General Assembly gave approval to legislation designed to help stop the multi-billion dollar criminal industry of human trafficking. The legislation will expand the crime of sexual trafficking of a child to include the advertisement of a child participating in a commercial sexual act. Similar to the federal SAVE Act that is now law, the legislation will give law enforcement another tool to investigate and prosecute those who knowingly advertise the victims of sex trafficking.
Missouri has been proactive in its approach to stop traffickers. It was in 2004 that Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to put sex trafficking laws in place. The bill approved by the General Assembly this year is an important part of the comprehensive approach the legislature wants to take to fight human trafficking in Missouri.