Bill > S358

Introduced Session

This bill increases penalties for human trafficking of a child under 18 years of age. Under current law, a person commits the crime of human trafficking of a child if he knowingly holds, recruits, lures, entices, harbors, transports, provides or obtains, by any means, a child under 18 years of age, to engage in sexual activity. Such an offense is a crime of the first degree. A crime of the first degree is ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of10 to 20 years, a fine of up to $200,000, or both. However, current law provides that the term of imprisonment, imposed for human trafficking of a child to engage in sexual activity, is: either a term of 20 years during which the actor is not eligible for parole; or a specific term between 20 years and life imprisonment, of which the actor is required to serve 20 years before being eligible for parole. The bill amends current law to encompass any other act of human trafficking of a child under 18 years of age, not just human trafficking a child to engage in sexual activity. The bill provides that the term of imprisonment imposed for any act of human trafficking of a child under the age of 18 years of age is life imprisonment, without eligibility for parole.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Kristin Corrado (R)*,  Douglas Steinhardt (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document