FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Wednesday, February 21, 2018

CONTACT:  Sara Rabern (605) 773-3215 

PIERRE, S.D. - Attorney General Marty Jackley confirms the Attorney General sponsored bill that strengthens the Human Trafficking law in South Dakota has passed unanimously out of the House Judiciary Committee this morning. 

“It is important that we protect our children with both strong human trafficking prevention laws and cooperative law enforcement operations that focus on removing sexual predators from our streets.  Today, the House Judiciary recognized the importance of protecting children by strengthening and supporting the law enforcement undercover operations that are focusing on removing sexual predators from our streets before a young child is victimized and trafficked,” said Jackley. 

South Dakota law currently makes first degree human trafficking a Class 2 felony punishable by up to 25 years imprisonment and a fine of $50,000. This proposed legislation will further strengthen our human trafficking laws that apply to minors by making an attempt to commit a violation of first degree human trafficking where the victim is a minor punishable in the same manner as if it was carried through. 

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