OLYMPIA — Ten bi-partisan bills to combat human trafficking, including legislation to keep minors from being exploited through online ads for escort services such as Backpage.com, will be heard Friday.
WHEN: Jan. 27, 2012, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Senate Judiciary Committee, Cherberg Building, Senate Hearing Room 1, Olympia, WA
In addition to Democratic and Republican bill sponsors, other dignitaries intending to testify in favor of the bills include:
- Linda Smith, former Congresswoman
- Velma Veloria, former Washington State Representative
- Mike McGinn, Seattle City Mayor
- Tim Burgess, Seattle City Councilman
- Gael Tarleton, Port of Seattle Commission President
- Representatives from the Seattle Police Department, King County Sheriff’s Department, and King County Prosecutor’s Office
- Groundswell, advocacy group from New York
Human trafficking includes the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for labor, sex, organ transplants or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.
Senate bills to be heard Friday include:
- SB 6251: Regulating advertising of commercial sexual abuse of a minor (Sens. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, Jerome Delvin, R-Richland)
- SB 6252: Addressing commercial sexual abuse of a minor and promoting prostitution in the first degree (Sens. Adam Kline, D-Seattle, Joseph Zarelli, R-Ridgefield)
- SB 6253: Concerning seizure and forfeiture of property in commercial sexual abuse of a minor and promoting prostitution in the first degree crimes (Sens. Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way, Adam Kline, D- Seattle)
- SB 6254: Compelling a person with a mental disability to engage in prostitution is promoting prostitution in the 1st degree, even absent the use of force (Sens. Jerome Delvin, R-Richland, Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam)
- SB 6255: Vacating sentences for underage victims (Sens. Karen Fraser, D-Olympia, Adam Kline, D- Seattle)
- SB 6256: Adding commercial sexual abuse of a minor to the list of criminal street gang-related offenses (Sens. Steve Conway, D-South Tacoma, Jerome Delvin, R-Richland)
- SB 6257: Addressing sexually explicit performance (Sens. Pam Roach, R-Auburn, Steve Conway, D-South Tacoma)
- SB 6258: Concerning unaccompanied persons (Sens. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood)
- SB 6259: Addressing restitution for human trafficking and prostitution (Sens. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds, Adam Kline, D-Seattle)
- SB 6260: Revising registration requirements and fees charged for various criminal offenses (Sens. Jerome Delvin, R-Richland, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle)
Two other human trafficking bills were heard Jan. 25 in the Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee:
- SB 6103: Removing the practice of reflexology from the exemptions from licensure for massage or massage therapy (Sens. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, Karen Fraser, D-Olympia)
- SB 6104: Granting authority to the secretary of health to conduct inspections of massage business establishments (Sens. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, Karen Fraser, D-Olympia)
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For more information:
Alison Dempsey-Hall, Senate Democratic Communications, 360-786-7887