Bill > SB262

This bill significantly increases the penalties for human trafficking offenses involving individuals under 18 years of age. Specifically, the legislation modifies existing law to increase the minimum prison sentence for maintaining or making an individual under 18 available for commercial sex acts or sexually-explicit performances from 7 years to 18 years, with a maximum sentence now extended to life imprisonment. Similarly, the bill increases penalties for recruiting, harboring, transporting, or otherwise facilitating trafficking of minors, also raising the minimum sentence from 7 to 18 years and allowing for life imprisonment. The bill notably stipulates that the offender's knowledge of the victim's exact age is not required for prosecution, and the victim's consent is not a valid legal defense. These changes underscore a strong legislative intent to more severely punish those who engage in trafficking of minors, reflecting a prioritization of protecting young people from sexual exploitation. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, giving time for legal systems to prepare for these more stringent penalties.

Justice

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=1138&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=SB262