Bill > HF2976

This bill increases the penalties for attempting to hire a minor for prostitution, specifically by expanding the scope of the law to include situations where the person hiring reasonably believes the individual is a minor. Previously, the law focused on actual age; now, if someone hires or offers to hire an individual they reasonably believe to be under 13 years old for sexual penetration or contact, they face up to 20 years in prison or a $40,000 fine. Similarly, the penalties for hiring or attempting to hire someone reasonably believed to be between 13 and 15 years old for such acts are increased to up to ten years in prison or a $20,000 fine, and for those reasonably believed to be between 16 and 17 years old, the penalty is up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine. These changes are intended to provide stronger protections for minors and are effective August 1, 2016, applying to crimes committed on or after that date.