Bill > HB1215

This bill creates the Oklahoma Human Trafficking Law, which updates and expands existing legal provisions related to human trafficking. The bill modifies definitions and penalties, adding new terms like "pimping" (procuring a prostitute and receiving earnings from their services) and expanding the definition of "coercion" to include extortion and additional methods of controlling victims. The legislation increases criminal penalties for human trafficking, with sentences ranging from 5 years to life imprisonment, with more severe penalties for offenses involving minors, where imprisonment can be up to 99 years. The bill also introduces two significant new requirements: first, individuals convicted of human trafficking for commercial sex must register as sex offenders, and second, the Department of Corrections must submit conviction information to the FBI's Human Trafficking-Uniform Crime Reporting Program. An important feature of the law is that a victim's consent is not considered a defense, and lack of knowledge about a victim's age does not exempt someone from prosecution. The bill emphasizes that human trafficking is a serious crime involving the exploitation of individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for labor or commercial sexual activities, and it aims to provide stronger legal protections for victims while imposing stricter penalties on perpetrators. The law will become effective on November 1, 2025.

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http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb1215&Session=2600