JUNEAU- Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee moved Senate Bill 110, which strengthens penalties for human trafficking and sex offenses in Alaska.

Current state law only recognizes the crime of “trafficking” when victims are transported across state lines. SB 110, sponsored by Senator Bill Wielechowski, would close that loophole, allowing law enforcement to prosecute traffickers who prey on victims within state borders.

“Sex trafficking is one of the most despicable crimes that we see in Alaska,” said Senator Wielechowski. “It should not make a difference if you are transporting someone from the Lower 48 or within the state to engage in these acts.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard gut-wrenching testimony from the Violent Crimes Compensation Board, Covenant House, the Anchorage Police Department, and various other organizations that have seen the terrible results of human trafficking within Alaska. They spoke about the necessity of expanding the law and noted 23 claims of in state human trafficking in recent years.

“These offenders usually entice large numbers of women and children into their prostitution human sex trafficking rings by promising them phones, video games, money, drugs, and alcohol,” said Regina Chennault, member of the Violent Crimes Compensation Board for the State of Alaska. �”ubsequently, these victims are drugged and beaten in order to force the victims to continue to prostitute themselves for the monetary gain of the offenders.”

Senate Bill 110 also changes the legal definition of “promoting prostitution” to include “sex trafficking,” so young Alaskans who are being induced and compelled into prostitution are referred to as victims of trafficking rather than as prostitutes.

“This bill will help us to eliminate sex trafficking in Alaska,” said Senator Wielechowski. “But we still need more education, emergency housing, and medical and mental services. Most of all, we need people to believe these individuals are worth saving.”

Senate Bill 110 now heads to the Senate Finance Committee for further consideration.

For more information, please call Senator Wielechowski at 907-242-1558 or Kendra Kloster at 907-465-2435.

Source: Office of Bill Wielechowski