2017 -- H 5300 SUBSTITUTE A | |
======== | |
LC001152/SUB A | |
======== | |
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017 | |
____________ | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING CRIMINAL OFFENSES - UNIFORM ACT ON THE PREVENTION OF AND | |
REMEDIES FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING | |
| |
Introduced By: Representatives Maldonado, McEntee, Amore, Hearn, and Knight | |
Date Introduced: February 01, 2017 | |
Referred To: House Judiciary | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Chapter 11-67 of the General Laws entitled "Trafficking of Persons and |
2 | Involuntary Servitude" is hereby repealed in its entirety. |
3 | CHAPTER 11-67 |
4 | Trafficking of Persons and Involuntary Servitude |
5 | 11-67-1. Definitions. |
6 | As used herein: |
7 | (1) "Intimidation" means an intentional written, verbal or physical act or threat of a |
8 | physical act that, under the totality of circumstances a reasonable person should know will have |
9 | the effect of: physically harming, or damaging a person's property, placing a person in reasonable |
10 | fear of harm to his or her person or to his or her family, or placing a person in reasonable fear of |
11 | damage to his or her property. |
12 | (2) "Commercial sexual activity" means any sex act which is performed or promised in |
13 | return for payment of money. |
14 | (3) "Forced labor" means labor performed or provided by another person that is obtained |
15 | or maintained through: |
16 | (i) Any scheme, plan, or pattern intending to cause or threatening to cause physical harm |
17 | to any person; |
18 | (ii) An actor's physically restraining or threatening to physically restrain another person; |
| |
1 | (iii) An actor's abusing or threatening to abuse the law or legal process; |
2 | (iv) An actor's knowingly destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, or possessing |
3 | without a person's consent any actual or purported passport or other immigration document, or |
4 | any other actual or purported government identification document, of another person; |
5 | (v) An actor's blackmail; or |
6 | (vi) An actor's intimidation. |
7 | (4) "Labor" means work of economic or financial value. |
8 | (5) "Maintain" means, in relation to labor, to secure continued performance thereof, |
9 | regardless of any initial agreement on the part of the victim to perform such type of labor. |
10 | (6) "Obtain" means in relation to labor, to secure continued performance thereof. |
11 | (7) "Sex act" means any sexual contact or sexual penetration of a person, as defined in § |
12 | 11-37-1. |
13 | (8) "Victim" means a person subject to the practices set forth in § 11-67-2 or 11-67-3. |
14 | 11-67-2. Involuntary servitude. |
15 | Whoever knowingly subjects, attempts to subject, or engages in a conspiracy to subject |
16 | another person to forced labor or commercial sexual activity either by: |
17 | (1) Causing or threatening to cause physical harm to any person; |
18 | (2) Physically restraining or threatening to physically restrain another person; |
19 | (3) Abusing or threatening to abuse the law or legal process; |
20 | (4) Knowingly destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating or possessing without that |
21 | person's consent any actual or purported passport or other immigration document, or any other |
22 | actual or purported government identification document, of another person; or |
23 | (5) By using intimidation; shall be guilty of a felony and subject to not more than twenty |
24 | (20) years imprisonment or a fine of not more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) or both. |
25 | 11-67-3. Trafficking of persons for forced labor or commercial sexual activity. |
26 | Whoever knowingly: |
27 | (a) Recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means, or attempts |
28 | to recruit, entice, harbor, transport provide, or obtain by any means, another person, intending or |
29 | knowing that the person will be subjected to forced labor in order to commit a commercial sexual |
30 | activity; or |
31 | (b) Benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from knowing participation in |
32 | a venture which has engaged in an act described in violation of § 11-67-2, or 11-67-3, is guilty of |
33 | a felony and subject to not more than twenty (20) years imprisonment or a fine of not more than |
34 | twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or both; provided, however, that this subsection shall not |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 2 of 19 |
1 | apply to a "victim" as defined in this chapter. |
2 | 11-67-4. Restitution. |
3 | In addition to any other amount of loss identified, the court shall order restitution |
4 | including the greater of: |
5 | (a) The gross income or value to the defendant of the victim's labor or commercial sexual |
6 | activity; or |
7 | (b) The value of the victim's labor as guaranteed under the minimum wage law and |
8 | overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) or the minimum wage law, |
9 | whichever is greater. |
10 | 11-67-5. Forfeitures. |
11 | (a) A person who is found in a criminal proceeding to be in violation of § 11-67-2 or 11- |
12 | 67-3 shall forfeit to the state of Rhode Island any profits or proceeds and any interest or property |
13 | he or she has acquired or maintained in violation of this act, that the sentencing court determines, |
14 | after a forfeiture hearing, to have been acquired or maintained as a result of maintaining a person |
15 | in involuntary servitude or participating in trafficking in persons for forced labor in order to |
16 | commit a criminal sexual activity. |
17 | (b) The court shall upon petition by the attorney general at any time following |
18 | sentencing, conduct a hearing to determine whether any property or property interest is subject to |
19 | forfeiture under this section. At the forfeiture hearing the state shall have the burden of |
20 | establishing by a preponderance of the evidence that property or property interests are subject to |
21 | forfeiture under this section. |
22 | (c) In any action brought by the state of Rhode Island under this section, wherein any |
23 | restraining order, injunction, or prohibition or any other action in connection with any property or |
24 | interest subject to forfeiture under this section is sought, the court shall first determine whether |
25 | there is probable cause to believe that the person or persons so charged have committed the |
26 | offense of involuntary servitude, involuntary servitude of a minor, or trafficking in persons for |
27 | forced labor or commercial sexual activity and whether the property or property interest is subject |
28 | to forfeiture pursuant to this section. |
29 | (d) All monies forfeited and the sale proceeds of all other property forfeited and seized |
30 | under this section shall be deposited in the general fund. |
31 | 11-67-6. Sex trafficking of a minor. |
32 | (a) Definitions. As used in this section: |
33 | (1) "Commercial sex act" means any sex act or sexually explicit performance on account |
34 | of which anything of value is given, promised to, or received, directly or indirectly, by any |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 3 of 19 |
1 | person. |
2 | (2) "Minor" refers to any natural person under eighteen (18) years of age. |
3 | (3) "Person" includes an individual, corporation, partnership, association, a government |
4 | body, a municipal corporation, or any other legal entity. |
5 | (4) "Sex act" means sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anal intercourse, and digital |
6 | intrusion or intrusion by any object into the genital opening or anal opening of another person's |
7 | body or the stimulation by hand of another's genitals for the purposes of arousing or gratifying the |
8 | sexual desire of either person. |
9 | (5) "Sexually-explicit performance" means an act or show, intended to arouse, satisfy the |
10 | sexual desires of, or appeal to the prurient interests of patrons or viewers, whether public or |
11 | private, live, photographed, recorded, or videotaped. |
12 | (b) Any person who: |
13 | (1) Recruits, employs, entices, solicits, isolates, harbors, transports, provides, persuades, |
14 | obtains, or maintains, or so attempts, any minor for the purposes of commercial sex acts; or |
15 | (2) Sells or purchases a minor for the purposes of commercial sex acts; or |
16 | (3) Benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture |
17 | which has engaged in an act described in subdivision (1) or (2); or |
18 | (c) Every person who shall commit sex trafficking of a minor shall be guilty of a felony |
19 | and subject to not more than fifty (50) years imprisonment or a fine of up to forty thousand |
20 | dollars ($40,000), or both. |
21 | (d) Obstructs, or attempts to obstruct, or in any way interferes with or prevents the |
22 | enforcement of this section shall be guilty of a felony and subject to not more than thirty-five (35) |
23 | years imprisonment, or a fine of up to forty thousand dollars ($40,000), or both. |
24 | (e) In a prosecution under this section, the government need not prove that the defendant |
25 | knew the victim's age. |
26 | 11-67-7. Interagency task force on trafficking in persons created -- Composition -- |
27 | Duties and responsibilities. |
28 | (a) There is hereby created an interagency human trafficking of persons task force which |
29 | will examine and report upon the extent of the existence of human trafficking for commercial |
30 | sexual activity within the State of Rhode Island. The task force shall consist of the attorney |
31 | general or his or her designee; the superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police or his or her |
32 | designee; the director of the Municipal Police Training Academy or his or her designee; the Chief |
33 | of Police of the City of Providence or his or her designee; the President of the Rhode Island |
34 | Police Chief's Association or his or designee; the public defender or his or her designee; and the |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 4 of 19 |
1 | director of the Rhode Island Commission on Women or his or her designee. |
2 | (b) Additionally, the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house |
3 | shall each appoint three (3) members of the public who have a special expertise dealing with |
4 | victims of crimes; the behavioral needs of women and children; social welfare issues such as the |
5 | financial, healthcare, housing and literacy needs of women, children and low-income individuals; |
6 | social justice and human rights issues; issues facing immigrants and non-citizens, civil rights; |
7 | and/or specialized training in human trafficking and the needs of victims of human trafficking. |
8 | (c) A quorum of the committee shall consist of at least eight (8) of its members. The task |
9 | force shall elect a chairperson. |
10 | (d) On or before December 31, 2010, the task force shall submit to the Governor, the |
11 | Attorney General, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate a |
12 | report setting forth its findings as to the extent to which human trafficking for commercial sexual |
13 | activity is occurring in this State and making such recommendations as it deems appropriate for |
14 | legislative and executive action relating to the enforcement of this chapter and the provision of |
15 | social services to victims of human trafficking. |
16 | 11-67-8. Reporting. |
17 | On or before January 15, 2010, and semi-annually thereafter, each law enforcement |
18 | agency in this state shall file with the Governor, the Attorney General, the Speaker of the House |
19 | of Representatives and the President of the Senate a report concerning the agency's enforcement |
20 | of this chapter during the preceding six (6) month period. Each semi-annual report shall contain, |
21 | but need not be limited to, the following information: |
22 | (1) The number of persons arrested pursuant to § 11-67-2, § 11-67-3, subsection 11-67- |
23 | 6(b), and subsection 11-67-6(d). |
24 | (2) Of those arrested, the number of persons convicted, placed on probation, whose case |
25 | is filed pursuant to § 12-10-12, whether those persons pled guilty or nolo contendere or were |
26 | found guilty after trial by judge or jury; |
27 | (3) The fines and/or sentences of those persons identified pursuant to subdivision (2) of |
28 | this section; and |
29 | (4) A summary of the amounts of fines levied and the lengths of sentences identified |
30 | pursuant to subdivision (3) of this section. |
31 | SECTION 2. Title 11 of the General Laws entitled "CRIMINAL OFFENSES" is hereby |
32 | amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
33 | CHAPTER 67.1 |
34 | UNIFORM ACT ON THE PREVENTION OF AND REMEDIES FOR HUMAN |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 5 of 19 |
1 | TRAFFICKING |
2 | 11-67.1-1. Short title. |
3 | This chapter shall be known and cited as the "Uniform Act on the Prevention of and |
4 | Remedies for Human Trafficking." |
5 | 11-67.1-2. Definitions. |
6 | (a) For purposes of this chapter: |
7 | (1) "Adult" means an individual eighteen (18) years of age or older. |
8 | (2) "Coercion" means: |
9 | (i) The use or threat of force against, abduction of, serious harm to, or physical restraint |
10 | of, an individual; |
11 | (ii) The use of a plan, pattern, or statement with intent to cause an individual to believe |
12 | that failure to perform an act will result in the use of force against, abduction of, serious harm to, |
13 | or physical restraint of, an individual; |
14 | (iii) The abuse or threatened abuse of law or legal process; |
15 | (iv) Controlling or threatening to control an individual's access to a controlled substance |
16 | as defined in §21-28-1.02; |
17 | (v) The destruction or taking of or a threatened destruction or taking of an individual's |
18 | identification document or other property; |
19 | (vi) The use of debt bondage; |
20 | (vii) The use of an individual's physical or mental impairment when the impairment has a |
21 | substantial adverse effect on the individual's cognitive or volitional function; or |
22 | (viii) The commission of civil or criminal fraud. |
23 | (3) "Commercial sexual activity" means sexual activity for which anything of value is |
24 | given to, promised to, or received, by a person. |
25 | (4) "Debt bondage" means inducing an individual to provide: |
26 | (i) Commercial sexual activity in payment toward or satisfaction of a real or purported |
27 | debt; or |
28 | (ii) Labor or services in payment toward or satisfaction of a real or purported debt if: |
29 | (A) The reasonable value of the labor or services is not applied toward the liquidation of |
30 | the debt; or |
31 | (B) The length of the labor or services is not limited and the nature of the labor or |
32 | services is not defined. |
33 | (5) "Human trafficking" means the commission of an offense created by §§11-67.1-3 |
34 | through 11-67.1-7. |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 6 of 19 |
1 | (6) "Identification document" means a passport, driver's license, immigration document, |
2 | travel document, or other government-issued identification document, including a document |
3 | issued by a foreign government. |
4 | (7) "Labor or services" means activity having economic value. |
5 | (8) "Minor" means an individual less than eighteen (18) years of age. |
6 | (9) "Person" means an individual, estate, business or nonprofit entity, or other legal |
7 | entity. The term does not include a public corporation or government or governmental |
8 | subdivision, agency, or instrumentality. |
9 | (10) "Serious harm" means harm, whether physical or nonphysical, including |
10 | psychological, economic, or reputational, to an individual which would compel a reasonable |
11 | individual of the same background and in the same circumstances to perform or continue to |
12 | perform labor or services or sexual activity to avoid incurring the harm. |
13 | (11) "Sexual activity" means sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anal intercourse or |
14 | the intentional touching of the victim's or accused's intimate body parts, clothed or unclothed, if |
15 | the touching is for the purpose of sexual arousal, gratification, or assault. The term includes a |
16 | sexually-explicit performance. |
17 | (12) "Sexually-explicit performance" means an act or show, intended to arouse, satisfy |
18 | the sexual desires of, or appeal to the prurient interests of patrons or viewers, whether public or |
19 | private, live, photographed, recorded, or videotaped. |
20 | (13) "State" means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the |
21 | United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of |
22 | the United States. The term includes an Indian tribe or band recognized by federal law or |
23 | formally acknowledged by a state. |
24 | (14) "Victim" means an individual who is subjected to human trafficking or to conduct |
25 | that would have constituted human trafficking had this chapter been in effect when the conduct |
26 | occurred, regardless of whether the perpetrator is identified, apprehended, prosecuted, or |
27 | convicted. |
28 | 11-67.1-3. Trafficking an individual. |
29 | (a) A person commits the offense of trafficking an individual if the person knowingly |
30 | recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains, or entices |
31 | an individual in furtherance of: |
32 | (1) Forced labor in violation of §11-67.1-4; or |
33 | (2) Sexual servitude in violation of §11-67.1-5. |
34 | (b) Every person who shall commit trafficking of a minor shall be guilty of a felony, |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 7 of 19 |
1 | subject to not more than fifty (50) years imprisonment, a fine of up to forty thousand dollars |
2 | ($40,000), or both. |
3 | (c) Every person who shall commit trafficking of an adult shall be guilty of a felony, |
4 | subject to not more than twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to twenty thousand dollars |
5 | ($20,000), or both. |
6 | 11-67.1-4. Forced labor. |
7 | (a) A person commits the offense of forced labor if the person knowingly uses coercion |
8 | to compel an individual to provide labor or services, except when such conduct is permissible |
9 | under federal law or law of this state other than this chapter. |
10 | (b) Every person who shall commit forced labor of a minor shall be guilty of a felony, |
11 | subject to not more than fifty (50) years imprisonment, a fine of up to forty thousand dollars |
12 | ($40,000), or both. |
13 | (c) Every person who shall commit forced labor of an adult shall be guilty of a felony, |
14 | subject to not more than twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to twenty thousand dollars |
15 | ($20,000), or both. |
16 | 11-67.1-5 Sexual servitude. |
17 | (a) A person commits the offense of sexual servitude if the person knowingly: |
18 | (1) Maintains or makes available a minor for the purpose of engaging the minor in |
19 | commercial sexual activity; or |
20 | (2) Uses coercion or deception to compel an adult to engage in commercial sexual |
21 | activity. |
22 | (b) It is not a defense in a prosecution under subsection (a)(1) of this section that the |
23 | minor consented to engage in commercial sexual activity or that the defendant believed the minor |
24 | was an adult. |
25 | (c) Every person who shall commit sexual servitude of a minor shall be guilty of a felony, |
26 | subject to not more than fifty (50) years imprisonment, a fine of up to forty thousand dollars |
27 | ($40,000), or both. |
28 | (d) Every person who shall commit sexual servitude of an adult shall be guilty of a |
29 | felony, subject to not more than twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to twenty thousand |
30 | dollars ($20,000), or both. |
31 | 11-67.1-6. Patronizing a victim of sexual servitude. |
32 | (a) A person commits the offense of patronizing a victim of sexual servitude if the person |
33 | knowingly gives, agrees to give or offers to give anything of value so that an individual may |
34 | engage in commercial sexual activity with another individual and the person knows that the other |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 8 of 19 |
1 | individual is a victim of sexual servitude. |
2 | (b) Every person who shall patronize a minor for purposes of sexual servitude of a minor |
3 | shall be guilty of a felony, subject to not more than twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up |
4 | to twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or both. |
5 | (c) Every person who shall patronize an adult for purposes of sexual servitude of an adult |
6 | shall be guilty of a felony, subject to not more than ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of up to |
7 | ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or both. |
8 | 11-67.1-7. Patronizing a minor for commercial sexual activity. |
9 | (a) A person commits the offense of patronizing a minor for commercial sexual activity |
10 | if: |
11 | (1) With the intent that an individual engage in commercial sexual activity with a minor, |
12 | the person gives, agrees to give, or offers to give anything of value to a minor or another person |
13 | so that the individual may engage in commercial sexual activity with a minor; or |
14 | (2) The person gives, agrees to give, or offers to give anything of value to a minor or |
15 | another person so that an individual may engage in commercial sexual activity with a minor. |
16 | (b) Every person who shall patronize a minor for purposes of commercial sexual activity |
17 | with a minor shall be guilty of a felony, subject to not more than ten (10) years imprisonment, a |
18 | fine of up to twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or both. |
19 | 11-67.1-8. Business entity liability. |
20 | (a) A person that is a business entity may be prosecuted for an offense under §§11-67.1-3 |
21 | through 11-67.1-7 of this chapter only if: |
22 | (1) The entity knowingly engages in conduct that constitutes human trafficking; or |
23 | (2) An employee or nonemployee agent of the entity engages in conduct that constitutes |
24 | human trafficking and the conduct is part of a pattern of activity in violation of this chapter for |
25 | the benefit of the entity, which the entity knew was occurring and failed to take effective action to |
26 | stop. |
27 | (b) When a person that is a business entity is prosecuted for an offense under §§11-67.1-3 |
28 | through 11-67.1-7, the court may consider the severity of the entity's conduct and order penalties |
29 | in addition to those otherwise provided for the offense, including: |
30 | (1) A fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per offense; |
31 | (2) Disgorgement of profit from activity in violation of this chapter; and |
32 | (3) Debarment from state and local government contracts. |
33 | 11-67.1-9. Aggravating circumstance. |
34 | (a) An aggravating circumstance during the commission of an offense under §§11-67.1-3, |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 9 of 19 |
1 | 11-67.1-4, or 11-67.1-5 occurs when: |
2 | (1) The defendant recruited, enticed, or obtained the victim of the offense from a shelter |
3 | that serves individuals subjected to human trafficking, domestic violence, or sexual assault, |
4 | runaway youth, foster children, or the homeless; or |
5 | (2) Kidnaps, holds hostage or otherwise keeps the victim against their will. |
6 | (b) Whenever it appears that a person may be subject to the enhanced sentence pursuant |
7 | to this section, the attorney general, in no case later than the first pretrial conference, shall file |
8 | with the court a notice specifying that the defendant, upon conviction, is subject to the imposition |
9 | of sentencing in accordance with this section. |
10 | (c) Upon any plea of guilt or nolo contendere, or verdict or finding of guilt of the |
11 | defendant, the court shall conduct a sentencing hearing to determine if evidence of aggravating |
12 | circumstances exist. At the hearing, the court shall permit the attorney general and the defense |
13 | counsel to present additional evidence to the jury relevant to the determination of whether |
14 | aggravating circumstances exist. If the jury at the hearing, or in the case of a plea of guilty or nolo |
15 | contendere, the court at sentencing, determines beyond a reasonable doubt that aggravating |
16 | circumstances exist, they shall be sentenced as provided in subsection (d) of this section. |
17 | (d) If the trier of fact finds that an aggravating circumstance occurred during the |
18 | commission of an offense under §§11-67.1-3, 11-67.1-4, or 11-67.1-5, the defendant may be |
19 | imprisoned for up to five (5) years in addition to the period of imprisonment prescribed for the |
20 | offense. Any such sentence may run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. |
21 | 11-67.1-10. Restitution. |
22 | (a) The court shall order a person convicted of an offense under §§11-67.1-3, 11-67.1-4, |
23 | or 11-67.-5 to pay restitution to the victim of the offense for: |
24 | (1) Expenses incurred or reasonably certain to be incurred by the victim as a result of the |
25 | offense, including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs; and |
26 | (2) An amount equal to the greatest of the following, with no reduction for expenses the |
27 | defendant incurred to maintain the victim: |
28 | (i) The gross income to the defendant for, or the value to the defendant of, the victim's |
29 | labor or services or sexual activity; |
30 | (ii) The amount the defendant contracted to pay the victim; or |
31 | (iii) The value of the victim's labor or services or sexual activity, calculated under the |
32 | minimum-wage and overtime provisions of the "Fair Labor Standards Act", 29 U.S.C. §201 et |
33 | seq., or subsection (a)(2) of this section, whichever is greater, even if the provisions do not apply |
34 | to the victim's labor or services or sexual activity. |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 10 of 19 |
1 | (b) The court shall order restitution under subsection (a) of this section even if the victim |
2 | is unavailable to accept payment of restitution. |
3 | (c) If the victim does not claim restitution ordered under subsection (a) of this section for |
4 | five (5) years after entry of the order, the restitution must be paid to the criminal injuries |
5 | compensation fund, as established in chapter 25 of title 12. |
6 | 11-67.1-11. Forfeiture. |
7 | (a) On motion, the court shall order a person convicted of an offense under §§11-67.1-3, |
8 | 11-67.1-4, or 11-67.1-5 to forfeit any interest in real or personal property that: |
9 | (1) Was used or intended to be used to commit or facilitate the commission of the |
10 | offense; or |
11 | (2) Constitutes proceeds or was derived from proceeds that the person obtained, directly |
12 | or indirectly, as a result of the offense. |
13 | (b) In a proceeding against real or personal property under this section, the person |
14 | convicted of the offense may assert a defense that the forfeiture is manifestly disproportional to |
15 | the seriousness of the offense. The person has the burden to establish the defense by a |
16 | preponderance of the evidence. |
17 | (c) Proceeds from the public sale or auction of property forfeited under subsection (a) of |
18 | this section must be distributed in the manner provided for the distribution of the proceeds of |
19 | criminal forfeitures act pursuant to §§21-28-5.04.1 and 21-28-5.04.2. |
20 | 11-67.1-12. Statute of limitations. |
21 | A prosecution for an offense under this chapter must be commenced not later than ten |
22 | (10) years after commission of the offense. |
23 | 11-67.1-13. Victim confidentiality. |
24 | In an investigation of or a prosecution for an offense under this chapter, every agency of |
25 | state or local government shall keep confidential the identity, pictures, and images of the alleged |
26 | victim and the family of the alleged victim, except to the extent that disclosure is: |
27 | (1) Necessary for the purpose of investigation or prosecution; |
28 | (2) Required by law or court order; or |
29 | (3) Necessary to ensure provision of services or benefits to the victim or the victim's |
30 | family. |
31 | 11-67.1-14. Past sexual behavior of victim. |
32 | In a prosecution for an offense under this chapter or a civil action under §11-67.1-18, |
33 | evidence of a specific instance of the alleged victim's past sexual behavior or reputation or |
34 | opinion evidence of past sexual behavior of the alleged victim is not admissible unless the |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 11 of 19 |
1 | evidence is: |
2 | (1) Admitted in accordance with §11-37-13; or |
3 | (2) Offered by the prosecution to prove a pattern of human trafficking by the defendant. |
4 | 11-67.1-15. Immunity of minor. |
5 | (a) An individual is not criminally liable or subject to a delinquency proceeding in the |
6 | family court for prostitution or solicitation to commit a sexual act if the individual was a minor at |
7 | the time of the offense and committed the offense as a direct result of being a victim. |
8 | (b) An individual who has engaged in commercial sexual activity is not criminally liable |
9 | or subject to a delinquency proceeding in the family court for prostitution or solicitation to |
10 | commit a sexual act if the individual was a minor at the time of the offense. |
11 | (c) A minor who under subsection (a) or (b) of this section is not subject to criminal |
12 | liability or a delinquency proceeding in family court is presumed to be an abused and/or |
13 | neglected child as defined in §40-11-2. |
14 | (d) This section does not apply in a prosecution or a delinquency proceeding for |
15 | patronizing a prostitute. |
16 | 11-67.1-16. Affirmative defense of victim. |
17 | An individual charged with prostitution or solicitation to commit a sexual act, committed |
18 | as a direct result of being a victim may assert an affirmative defense that the individual is a |
19 | victim. |
20 | 11-67.1-17. Motion to vacate and expunge conviction. |
21 | (a) An individual convicted of prostitution or solicitation to commit a sexual act, |
22 | committed as a direct result of being a victim may apply by motion to the court having |
23 | jurisdiction over the offense, to vacate the conviction and seal or expunge the record of |
24 | conviction. The court may grant the motion after a hearing and upon a finding that the |
25 | individual's participation in the offense was a direct result of being a victim. |
26 | (b) An official determination or documentation from a federal, state, local, or tribal |
27 | agency that the individual was a victim at the time of the offense creates a presumption that the |
28 | individual's participation was a direct result of being a victim. |
29 | (c) A motion filed under subsection (a) of this section, any hearing conducted on the |
30 | motion, and any relief granted shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of §§12-1-12, |
31 | 12-1-12.1, and 12-1-12.2, of title 12 or chapter 1.3 of title 12. |
32 | 11-67.1-18. Civil action. |
33 | (a) A victim may bring a civil action against a person that commits an offense against the |
34 | victim under §§11-67.1-3, 11-67.1-4, or 11-67.1-5 of this chapter for compensatory damages, |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 12 of 19 |
1 | punitive damages, injunctive relief, and any other appropriate relief. |
2 | (b) If a victim prevails in an action under this section, the court shall award the victim |
3 | reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. |
4 | (c) An action under this section must be commenced not later than ten (10) years after the |
5 | later of the date on which the victim: |
6 | (1) No longer was subject to human trafficking; or |
7 | (2) Attained eighteen (18) years of age. |
8 | (d) Damages awarded to a victim under this section for an item must be offset by any |
9 | restitution paid to the victim pursuant to §11-67.1-10. |
10 | (e) This section does not preclude any other remedy available to a victim under federal |
11 | law or other general or public law of this state other than this chapter. |
12 | 11-67.1-19. Council on human trafficking. |
13 | (a) The council on human trafficking is created in the executive branch. The governor |
14 | shall appoint the chair and members of the council. Members must include representatives of: |
15 | (1) Department of the attorney general, the department of health, the department of |
16 | children, youth and families, the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities |
17 | and hospitals, and law enforcement, that have contact with victims or perpetrators; |
18 | (2) Nongovernmental organizations that represent, advocate for, or provide services to |
19 | victims; and |
20 | (3) Other organizations and individuals, including victims, whose expertise would benefit |
21 | the council. |
22 | (b) The state agencies represented on the council created under this section shall provide |
23 | staff to the council. |
24 | (c) The council created under this section shall meet on a regular basis and: |
25 | (1) Develop a coordinated and comprehensive plan to provide victims with services; |
26 | (2) Collect and evaluate data on human trafficking in this state and submit an annual |
27 | report to the governor and legislature; |
28 | (3) Promote public awareness about human trafficking, victim remedies and services, and |
29 | trafficking prevention; |
30 | (4) Create a public awareness sign that contains the state and national human trafficking |
31 | resource center hotline information. |
32 | (5) Coordinate training on human trafficking prevention and victim services for state and |
33 | local employees who may have recurring contact with victims or perpetrators; and |
34 | (6) Conduct other appropriate activities. |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 13 of 19 |
1 | 11-67.1-20. Display of public awareness sign; Penalty for failure to display. |
2 | (a) Any public or quasi-public transportation agency shall display a public awareness sign |
3 | that contains the state and national human trafficking resource center hotline information in every |
4 | transportation station, rest area, and welcome center in the state which is open to the public. |
5 | (b) An employer shall display the public awareness sign described in subsection (a) of |
6 | this section in a place that is clearly conspicuous and visible to employees and the public at each |
7 | of the following locations in this state at which the employer has employees: |
8 | (1) A strip club or other sexually-oriented business; |
9 | (2) A business entity previously found to be a nuisance for prostitution; |
10 | (3) A job-recruitment center; |
11 | (4) A hospital; or |
12 | (5) An emergency-care provider. |
13 | (c) The department of labor and training shall impose a fine of three hundred dollars |
14 | ($300) per violation on an employer that knowingly fails to comply with subsection (b) of this |
15 | section. The fine shall be the exclusive remedy for failure to comply. |
16 | 11-67.1-21. Eligibility for benefit or service. |
17 | (a) A victim is eligible for a benefit or service available through the state in any plan |
18 | established by the council on human trafficking [and identified in the plan developed under §11- |
19 | 67.1-19(c)(1)], including compensation under the criminal injuries compensation act pursuant to |
20 | chapter 25 of title 12, regardless of immigration status. |
21 | (b) A minor who has engaged in commercial sexual activity is eligible for a benefit or |
22 | service available through the state in any plan established by the council on human trafficking, |
23 | regardless of immigration status. |
24 | (c) As soon as practicable after a first encounter with an individual who reasonably |
25 | appears to any state or local agency, to be a victim or a minor who has engaged in commercial |
26 | sexual activity, the agency shall notify the department of attorney general, a state or local law |
27 | enforcement agency or the department of health that the individual may be eligible for a benefit |
28 | or service pursuant to this chapter. |
29 | 11-67.1-22. Law enforcement protocol. |
30 | (a) On request from an individual whom a law enforcement officer or agent thereof, |
31 | reasonably believes is a victim who is or has been subjected to a severe form of trafficking or |
32 | criminal offense required for the individual to qualify for a nonimmigrant T or U visa under 8 |
33 | U.S.C. §1101(a)(15)(T), or 8 U.S.C. §1101(a)(15)(U), or for continued presence under 22 U.S.C. |
34 | §7105(c)(3), the law enforcement officer, as soon as practicable after receiving the request, shall |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 14 of 19 |
1 | complete, sign, and give to the individual the Form I-914B or Form I-918B provided by the |
2 | United States Citizenship and Immigration Services on its Internet website and request assistance |
3 | from the local Immigration and Naturalization office. |
4 | (b) If the law enforcement agency or officer determines that an individual does not meet |
5 | the requirements for the agency to comply with subsection (a) of this section, the agency shall |
6 | inform the individual of the reason and that the individual may make another request under |
7 | subsection (a) of this section and submit additional evidence satisfying the requirements. |
8 | 11-67.1-23. Grant to or contract with service provider. |
9 | (a) To the extent that funds are appropriated for this purpose, the council on human |
10 | trafficking may make a grant to or contract with a unit of state or local government, or |
11 | nongovernmental victim's service organization to develop or expand service programs for |
12 | victims. |
13 | (b) A recipient of a grant or contract under subsection (a) of this section shall report |
14 | annually to the council on human trafficking the number and demographic information of all |
15 | victims receiving services under the grant or contract. |
16 | 11-67.1-24. Uniformity of application and construction. |
17 | In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration must be given to the need to |
18 | promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it. |
19 | 11-67.1-25. Severability. |
20 | If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held |
21 | invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be |
22 | given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this |
23 | chapter are severable. |
24 | 11-67.1-26. Effect of repeal on criminal prosecutions. |
25 | (a) For the purposes of this chapter, the term "event" means and includes any conduct, |
26 | investigation, suit, prosecution, complaint, information, or indictment related to violations |
27 | committed before the date of repeal of chapter 67 of title 11. |
28 | (b) No event occurring or committed under chapter 67 of title 11, as repealed, shall in any |
29 | case be affected by the repeal. |
30 | (c) All of the events may be proceeded with pursuant to chapter 67 of title 11, which shall |
31 | be deemed to be in force for the purpose of prosecuting any of the events to final judgment and |
32 | execution or sentence, as the case may be. |
33 | SECTION 3. Section 11-37.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-37.1 entitled "Sexual |
34 | Offender Registration and Community Notification" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 15 of 19 |
1 | 11-37.1-2. Definitions. |
2 | (a) "Aggravated offense" means, and includes, offenses involving sexual penetration of |
3 | victims of any age through the use of force, or the threat of use of force, or offenses involving |
4 | sexual penetration of victims who are fourteen (14) years of age or under. |
5 | (b) "Board", "board of review", or "sex offender board of review" means the sex offender |
6 | board of review appointed by the governor pursuant to § 11-37.1-6. |
7 | (c) (1) "Conviction" or "convicted" means, and includes, any instance where: |
8 | (i) A judgment of conviction has been entered against any person for any offense |
9 | specified in subsection (e) or (k), regardless of whether an appeal is pending; or |
10 | (ii) There has been a finding of guilty for any offense specified in subsection (e) or (k), |
11 | regardless of whether an appeal is pending; or |
12 | (iii) There has been a plea of guilty or nolo contendere for any offense specified in |
13 | subsection (e) or (k), regardless of whether an appeal is pending; or |
14 | (iv) There has been an admission of sufficient facts or a finding of delinquency for any |
15 | offense specified in subsection (e) or (k), regardless of whether or not an appeal is pending. |
16 | (2) Provided, in the event that a conviction, as defined in this subsection, has been |
17 | overturned, reversed, or otherwise vacated, the person who was the subject of the conviction shall |
18 | no longer be required to register as required by this chapter and any records of a registration shall |
19 | be destroyed. Provided, further, that nothing in this section shall be construed to eliminate a |
20 | registration requirement of a person who is again convicted of an offense for which registration is |
21 | required by this chapter. |
22 | (d) [Deleted by P.L. 2003, ch. 162, § 1 and by P.L. 2003, ch. 170, § 1]. |
23 | (e) "Criminal offense against a victim who is a minor" means, and includes, any of the |
24 | following offenses or any offense in another jurisdiction that is substantially the equivalent of the |
25 | following or for which the person is or would be required to register under 42 U.S.C. § 14071 or |
26 | 18 U.S.C. § 4042(c): |
27 | (1) Kidnapping or false imprisonment of a minor, in violation of §§ 11-26-1.4, 11-26-1 or |
28 | 11-26-2, where the victim of the offense is sixteen (16) years of age or older and under the age of |
29 | eighteen (18) years; |
30 | (2) Enticement of a child in violation of § 11-26-1.5 with the intent to violate §§ 11-37-6, |
31 | 11-37-8, 11-37-8.1, 11-37-8.3; |
32 | (3) Any violation of §§ 11-37-6, 11-37-8, 11-37-8.1, or 11-37-8.3; |
33 | (4) Any violation of § 11-1-10, where the underlying offense is a violation of chapter 34 |
34 | of this title and the victim, or person solicited to commit the offense, is under the age of eighteen |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 16 of 19 |
1 | (18) years; |
2 | (5) Any violation of § 11-9-1(b) or (c); |
3 | (6) Any violation of § 11-9-1.3; |
4 | (7) Any violation of § 11-9-1.5; |
5 | (8) Any violation of § 11-37.1-10; |
6 | (9) Any violation of § 11-37-8.8; |
7 | (10) Any violation of § 11-64-2, where the victim is under the age of eighteen (18) years; |
8 | (11) Murder in violation of § 11-23-1, where the murder was committed in the |
9 | perpetration of, or attempted perpetration of, kidnapping and where the victim of the offense is |
10 | under eighteen (18) years of age; or |
11 | (12) Any violation of § 11-67-6 Any violation of §§11-67-6, 11-67.1-3(b), 11-67.1-4(b), |
12 | 11-67.1-5(c), 11-67.1-6(b), or 11-67.1-7(b). |
13 | (f) "Designated state law enforcement agency" means the attorney general or his or her |
14 | designee. |
15 | (g) "Employed, carries on a vocation" means and includes the definition of "employed, |
16 | carries on a vocation" under 42 U.S.C. § 14071. |
17 | (h) "Institutions of higher education" means any university, two- or four-year (2 or 4) |
18 | college or community college. |
19 | (i) "Mental abnormality" means a congenital or acquired condition of a person that affects |
20 | the emotional or volitional capacity of the person in a manner that predisposes that person to the |
21 | commission of criminal sexual acts to a degree that makes the person a menace to the health and |
22 | safety of other persons. |
23 | (j) "Predator" means a person whose act(s) is (are) or was (were) directed at a stranger, or |
24 | at a person with whom a relationship has been established or promoted for the primary purpose of |
25 | victimization. |
26 | (k) "Sexually violent offense" means, and includes, any violation of §§ 11-37-2, 11-37-4, |
27 | 11-37-6, 11-37-8, 11-37-8.1, 11-37-8.3, 11-67-2 (where the victim was subject to commercial |
28 | sexual activity), 11-67-3(a), 11-67-3(b) (where the victim was subject to commercial sexual |
29 | activity) 11-67.1-3(c), (where the victim was subject to sexual servitude), 11-67.1-5(d), 11-67.1- |
30 | 6(c); or 11-5-1, where the specified felony is sexual assault; or § 11-23-1, where the murder was |
31 | committed in the perpetration of, or attempted perpetration of, rape or any degree of sexual |
32 | assault or child molestation; or any offense in another jurisdiction that is substantially the |
33 | equivalent of any offense listed in this subsection or for which the person is or would be required |
34 | to register under 42 U.S.C. § 14071 or 18 U.S.C. § 4042(c). |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 17 of 19 |
1 | (l) "Sexually violent predator" means a person who has been convicted of a sexually |
2 | violent offense and who has a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the person |
3 | likely to engage in predatory sexually violent offenses. |
4 | (m) "Student" means, and includes, the definition of "student" under 42 U.S.C. § 14071. |
5 | (n) "Parole board" means the parole board or its designee. |
6 | SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC001152/SUB A | |
======== | |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 18 of 19 |
EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING CRIMINAL OFFENSES - UNIFORM ACT ON THE PREVENTION OF AND | |
REMEDIES FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING | |
*** | |
1 | This act would repeal chapter 67 of title 11 entitled "Trafficking of persons and |
2 | involuntary servitude" and create the "Uniform Act on Prevention and Remedies for Human |
3 | Trafficking" which would establish penalties and remedies for human trafficking and would make |
4 | human trafficking and human trafficking for purposes of sexual servitude, forced labor and |
5 | commercial sexual activity, felonies punishable by imprisonment and fines. This act would also |
6 | establish a council on human trafficking for the prevention of such offenses and would establish |
7 | programs to assist victims and would make victims eligible for compensation under the criminal |
8 | injuries compensation act. |
9 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC001152/SUB A | |
======== | |
| LC001152/SUB A - Page 19 of 19 |