Tougher sex trafficking penalties OK'd by House

The penalties for sex traffickers could become more severe.

Sponsored by Rep. Michael Paymar (DFL-St. Paul) and Sen. Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul), HF1505 comes from a report from a sex trafficking taskforce that was funded by the Office of Justice Programs.

Passed 131-0 by the House, it now awaits Senate action. (Watch the floor session.)

"This is part of an overall effort to stop sex trafficking in the state of Minnesota," Paymar said. "Sex trafficking is not limited to foreign nationals. Girls and women are regularly trafficked every day in the state of Minnesota. The average age of a trafficked individual is 12 years old."

The bill creates a first- and second-degree sex trafficking offense that is similar to first- and second-degree sexual or domestic assaults. It calls for a 20-year felony for sex trafficking a minor and 15 years for sex trafficking any other person.

It also contains a provision for a 25-year sentence when for a first-degree case with aggravating factors, such as repeat offenders, the victim suffered bodily harm during the offense commission, time the victim was held in debt bondage or forced labor was for more than 180 days or more than one victim was involved.

Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) successfully amended the bill with the language of HF1213, which she sponsors. It clarifies the definition of prostitution so it is the same for a gross misdemeanor and a misdemeanor, makes clarifying changes to "prostitution in a public place" by using language consistent with other prostitution statutes and deals with a penalty enhancer provision.