Under current state law, such an act is merely a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in county jail, a minimum of two days in jail, and a potential fine of $10,000. Additionally, offenders are required to register as tier-one sex offenders for at least ten years.
Republican State Sen. Shannon Grove is spearheading the push with SB 1414 to elevate the offense to a felony.
Senate Bill 1414 (SB 1414) was introduced last month to increase penalties for child sex trafficking. The bill would make it a felony to solicit or engage in commercial sex with a minor, and criminals could face two to four years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.
Sen. Grove’s motivation stems from conversations with survivors of sex trafficking, who emphasize the necessity of targeting buyers to effectively combat the issue.
“A lot of the survivors of lived experience have said you’ve gotta go after the buyer, it’s just a misdemeanor and I said there is no way,” Grove told KCRA 3. “I thought they were mistaken.”
The proposed bill also aims to eliminate the requirement that those convicted must have known or should have known the age of the minor. Furthermore, it seeks to extend the sex offender registration requirement to ten years for buyers. READ MORE
