Kansas' attorney general says the U.S. Department of justice has identified Kansas as a state of origination for victims of human trafficking. Derek Schmidt is continuing his fight to address the issue with more proposed legislation.
Schmidt has called human trafficking the second-largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world: 83 percent are domestic victims and most of those, he says, are children. The proposed legislation would strengthen penalties for criminals and make it easier for victims to get help.
The new law would:
- require those who get commercial driver's licenses to be trained in recognizing the signs of human trafficking
- make it easier for victims to get their records expunged if they committed crimes while being trafficked
- make it illegal to use an electronic device or use the internet for the crimes
Schmidt says Kansas should be in the top tier of states leading the fight. The bill now sits with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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Aileen LeBlanc is news director at KMUW. Follow her on Twitter @Aileen_LeBlanc.
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