A bill sponsored by State Sen. Randy Head (R-Logansport) that would require children involved in human or sexual trafficking be treated as victims rather than criminals passed the Senate yesterday by a vote of 49-0.
House Bill 1216 specifies that if a victim of human trafficking is forced into prostitution, that child is not criminally liable under Indiana’s laws against prostitution.
Head says the bill is an attempt to stop human trafficking by protecting victims.
In an effort to educate Hoosiers about the cyclical nature of human and sexual trafficking, HB 1216 would require the Superintendent of the Indiana State Police to provide information concerning the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the National Runaway Safeline to every law enforcement agency in the state. These agencies would then be required to provide that information to a person making a report of a missing child at the time of the report.
In addition, the bill would require a law enforcement agency to immediately contact the Department of Child Services (DCS) if the law enforcement agency detains an alleged victim of human or sexual trafficking who is less than 18 years of age. The agency would then work to provide the victim with the necessary resources to protect them from returning to trafficking in the future.
This bill further supports legislation authored by Head in the first half of session, Senate Bill 313 and Senate Bill 375, which strive to close loopholes in the law that have previously allowed criminals to exploit and traffic children. Both bills passed the Senate and are now being considered by the House.
HB 1216 will now go to the governor for further consideration.
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