JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri House of Representatives has given its approval to anti-sex trafficking legislation seeking to provide greater protections for children who have been victimized by sex trafficking.
The House on Wednesday third read and passed Rep. Ed Lewis’ HB 2032 with a unanimous 140-0 vote, sending a clear message that sexual exploitation of children will not be tolerated in the Show-Me State, and further providing for the safety of children in Missouri.
“This legislation is important simply because of what it does for the child.” Rep. Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, said. “This bill focuses on protecting children under the age of 18 who have been trafficked ensuring they are treated as a victim and getting them the help they need while cracking down on those who would facilitate the exploitation of a child. By passing this legislation, Missouri defends its children while also saying that trafficking of any kind will not be tolerated in our state.”
This bill puts into state law the process by which a child located by law enforcement and who is suspected to have been a victim of sex trafficking is to receive help from the Division of Social Services, the Juvenile Court system, child advocacy centers and law enforcement.
Also in the proposed legislation, the crime of facilitating or enabling the sexual exploitation of a child is enacted. This crime occurs when a person, acting with criminal negligence, permits or allows a child to be exploited. The offense is a class E felony for the first offense and a class C felony for a second or subsequent offense. If the person who committed the offense is an owner of a business or a business owner’s agent and the business provided the location for the exploitation, the business location where the exploitation occurred will be required to close for up to a year for the first offense and permanently close for a second offense. Other aspects of the bill adds patronizing prostitution where the victim is under 18 to tier III on the sexual offender registry.
Furthermore, the bill would establish the “Statewide Council on Sex Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children”, which will analyze data relating to sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of children and will collect feedback from stakeholders, practitioners, and leadership throughout the state. That council would then be required to deliver a report on their activities, findings, and suggestions to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Joint Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect by December 31, 2023.