A bill filed in the Arkansas Legislature this year aims to amend current human trafficking laws in the state.
According to KATV, SB282’s lead sponsor, Sen. Missy Irvin, R-District 24, said the changes to the bill came in January after a jury of 12 ordered owners of a motel in West Little Rock to pay $600,000 in damages to a victim of human trafficking, after the jury determined the motel owners knew the crime was happening.
Under the bill’s amendments:
Any person who is a victim of human trafficking can bring civil action against a person or entity who knew or should have known the individual was or would be subjected to any form of trafficking;
A victim of human trafficking can not be faulted for human trafficking.
The bill also specifies that a person or entity would be held liable if they caused, were responsible for, benefitted financially, or received anything of value from the human trafficking incident.
Irvin said the bill brings standard federal laws on human trafficking to the state of Arkansas and clearly defines the difference between intentional negligence versus general negligence.
“It’s to make sure that they can be fully prosecuted under our current laws,” Irvin said. “If they can demonstrate that they knew this was happening and did nothing to stop it, then they are held liable.”
A bill filed in the Arkansas Legislature this year aims to amend current human trafficking laws in the state.
SB282’s lead sponsor, Sen. Missy Irvin, R-District 24, said the changes to the bill came in January after a jury of 12 ordered owners of a motel in West Little Rock to pay $600,000 in damages to a victim of human trafficking, after the jury determined the motel owners knew the crime was happening.
Under the bill’s amendments:
Any person who is a victim of human trafficking can bring civil action against a person or entity who knew or should have known the individual was or would be subjected to any form of trafficking;
A victim of human trafficking can not be faulted for human trafficking.
The bill also specifies that a person or entity would be held liable if they caused, were responsible for, benefitted financially, or received anything of value from the human trafficking incident.
Irvin said the bill brings standard federal laws on human trafficking to the state of Arkansas and clearly defines the difference between intentional negligence versus general negligence.
“It’s to make sure that they can be fully prosecuted under our current laws,” Irvin said. “If they can demonstrate that they knew this was happening and did nothing to stop it, then they are held liable.”
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