DENVER – Today, the Colorado State Senate passed Senator Byron Pelton’s anti-human trafficking bill, Senate Bill 24-035. The bill will increase the punishment for human trafficking crimes by redefining them as crimes of violence. The bill also lengthens the statute of limitations from its current 5 years to 20 years.
“For too long human traffickers have been evading justice thanks in part to our state’s soft-on-crime human trafficking laws,” Senator Byron Pelton said. “It’s an insult to victims and their families to deny them the justice they are owed– this bill is long overdue. By increasing the penalties and lengthening the statute of limitations we are sending a clear signal to human traffickers that God’s children are not for sale!”
During the bill’s committee hearing, dozens of human trafficking survivors shared their stories and spoke in support of the bill. Debate on the bill was brief, but not without some opposition from Democrats. Ultimately the bill passed in the Senate on a 33-1 vote.
The bill now faces a potentially challenging future in the state House. Earlier this month, Democrats in the House State Affairs committee killed Senator Van Winkle’s bill, HB24-1092, which would have increased the mandatory prison sentence for those who prostitute children.
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